Protests erupt after Israel PM fires defense minister

Let's begin this noon with that unrest in Israel. Thousands of people are protesting in the streets and workers from the largest trade union, they're going on strike. It's all because of the prime minister's plan to overhaul the judiciary. And we're hearing reports now that the plan may be delayed until May. CBS News Lisa Rosner is live in the newsroom with the latest developments for us. Lisa? Well Chris, yes, that word is coming from one of the prime minister's key allies. And all of this protesting comes in a show of anger against the prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu who fired his defense minister over the weekend.

That defense minister, once an ally, had called for a pause to Netanyahu's plan to change the country's legal system. This also comes as Netanyahu is on trial for corruption. Protesters in Tel Aviv blocked the city's main highway Monday. Thousands are also gathering outside the Knesset, Israel's parliament. Israel's largest trade union group launched a strike across health, transit and banking sectors which could paralyze parts of the country's economy. Us telling Netanyahu that this can't go on, this has to stop, this has to, you know, something that has to go. They're hoping to pressure Netanyahu to suspend his controversial plan to weaken the country's Supreme Court.

It deepens a month's long crisis over the issue. Monday the prime minister tweeted, I call on all the demonstrators in Jerusalem on the right and the left to behave responsibly and not to act violently. We will continue to fight until this madness is stopped and orders return to our country. Sunday the Consul General of Israel to New York, Asaf Zemir, resigned. He said in part the past 18 months as Israel's Consul General in New York were fulfilling and rewarding. But following the developments, it is now time for me to join the fight for Israel's future to ensure it remains a beacon of democracy and freedom in the world. At Jerusalem's central bus station, people are arriving from all over Israel to make their voices heard and at Israel's main airport, departing flights have been grounded.

And this afternoon there was a protest planned outside the Israeli Consulate in New York. On the east side will be following the developments. Live in the newsroom, Lisa Rosner, CBS 2 News. Okay Lisa, thank you.

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