Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu berates Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Netanyahu announced this in a statement reproduced by The Associated Press and Reuters on Saturday evening.

It comes the day after the defense minister spoke out against Netanyahu’s controversial judicial reform.

“The security of Israel has always been, and always will be, the most important task of my life,” Gallant said shortly after the news broke.

Although there have been large protests against the bill among the Israeli people, Gallant’s statement was the first time that one of Netanyahu’s cabinet members has spoken out critically on the issue.

– The process must be stopped, for the security of Israel and for our sons and daughters. I have no intention of participating in that, Gallant said Saturday.

The law implies, among other things, that the parliament must be able to review the decisions of the Supreme Court and that politicians must have a greater influence on the appointments of judges to the same court. He is also protecting Netanyahu legally during the trial where he is accused of corruption.

Large demonstrations bringing together tens of thousands of participants have taken place every Saturday for the past three months. According to Israeli media, more than 100,000 people took part in a giant demonstration in Tel Aviv on Saturday. Among other things, they were greeted by police officers equipped with water cannons.

– Anger, pain and dissatisfaction are growing in all directions, with a force I have never seen before. If only one side wins, whether in the streets or inside the Knesset, then the State of Israel is the big loser, Gallant warned Saturday.