Unions launch widespread strikes in Israel after Netanyahu fires defense official

Unions in Israel have launched widespread strikes after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired a defense official who challenged his controversial plan to reform the nation’s judiciary. Netanyahu ousted Yoav Gallant on Sunday after the defense minister broke ranks to call for a pause to Netanyahu’s judicial reform plans over concerns about turmoil within Israel’s military. Gallant’s firing prompted a surge of nationwide demonstrations, and Israel’s largest trade union group has called for its hundreds of thousands of members across multiple sectors to stop work in protest. The Histadrut umbrella group...