Israel’s top trade union chief called a general strike Monday over the hard-right government’s controversial judicial reforms, a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sacked his defence minister who had called for a stop to the overhaul. “I am calling a general strike,” Histadrut chairman Arnon Bar-David said in a televised address. “From the moment this press conference ends, the State of Israel stops. “We have a mission to stop this legislative process and we will do it,” he said, vowing to “continue to fight”. The Israel Medical Association quickly followed suit, also announcing “a full strike in the health system” that will impact all public hospitals. Netanyahu was expected to address the nation later Monday, with speculation in Israeli media that he could pause the judicial reforms. The nationwide walkout was called hours after Israeli President Isaac Herzog pressed for an immediate halt to the judicial programme, following major demonstrations in Tel Aviv overnight in response to the defence minister’s dismissal.