Israel plans to pull some troops
Military says war with Hamas will continue
Israel’s military says it plans to pull thousands of soldiers from ground operations in the Gaza Strip, the first significant drawdown of its forces since Hamas’ deadly Oct. 7 attacks that launched the war.
The armed forces said in a statement Monday that five brigades would pull out of Gaza in the coming weeks for training and rest amid fierce fighting. Military leaders say they plan to continue Israel’s mission of eradicating Hamas in the new year.
“The objectives of the war require prolonged fighting, and we are preparing accordingly,” military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said in a briefing on Sunday. Hagari said bringing reservists back to their families and their jobs will “significantly ease the burden” of the war on Israel’s economy.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged over the weekend that the war with Hamas will continue for “many more months,” despite growing international calls for a ceasefire amid concerns of a growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The U.S., while firmly supporting Israel’s right to defend itself and supplying its military with weapons, has urged Netanyahu to take more care to avoid civilian casualties. An estimated 1.9 million people, about 85% of the population, have been displaced across the enclave, some of them multiple times, as they seek safety from Israeli bombardment, the U.N.’s humanitarian affairs office has said.
Court deals blow to Netanyahu
The Israeli Supreme Court struck down a key component of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s contentious judicial overhaul on Monday, a ruling that threatens to reopen fissures in Israeli society that preceded the war
Those divisions were largely put aside while the country focused on the war in Gaza. Monday’s court decision could reignite those tensions, which sparked months of mass protests and had rattled the cohesion of the powerful military. There was no immediate reaction from Netanyahu.
The court narrowly voted to overturn a law passed in July that prevents judges from striking down government decisions they deem “unreasonable.” Opponents had argued that Netanyahu’s efforts to remove the standard of reasonability opens the door to corruption and improper appointments of unqualified cronies to important positions.
The law was the first in a planned overhaul of the Israeli justice system. The overhaul was put on hold after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7.
In an 8-7 decision, the justices struck down the law because of the “severe and unprecedented harm to the core character of the State of Israel as a democratic country.” The justices also voted 12-3 that they had the authority to overturn “Basic Laws,” or major pieces of legislation that serve as a sort of constitution for Israel.
It was a significant blow to Netanyahu and his hard-line allies, who claimed the national legislature, not the high court, should have the final word over the legality of legislation and other key decisions. The justices said the Knesset, or parliament, does not have “omnipotent” power.