Israel’s cabinet is set to approve Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposal to fire the country’s domestic intelligence chief late on Thursday, defying thousands of protesters rallying against his removal and those of other security and judicial officials.

Protesters say the Israeli prime minister, with the renewed war on Gaza, wants to keep his coalition intact and escape justice.

Netanyahu has been repeatedly accused by his opponents of having consistently manipulated Israel’s war on Gaza to his own political ends. Former United States President Joe Biden suggested as much in an interview in June, saying there was “every reason” for people to draw the conclusion that Netanyahu was prolonging the war for political reasons.