Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu postponed on Monday the process of discussing the judicial reform for the next parliamentary session, which will take place next month.
In the statement cited by the Reuters news agency, the far-right party that supports the Jewish Power coalition justifies the postponement with the aim of “passing the reform through dialogue.”
The Israeli parliament will stop next week for an Easter break.
The controversial judicial reform designed by the Netanyahu government sparked several protests in the streets of Israel. The Israeli Prime Minister dismissed the Defense Minister this Sunday, after Yoav Gallant publicly called for the end of the judicial reform, in the first critical voice of the Government.
This Monday, the president of the country also called for the immediate cessation of this legislative process.
“For the sake of the unity of the people of Israel, for the sake of the necessary accountability, I urge you to end the legislative process immediately,” Isaac Herzog said in a statement.
“The entire nation is deeply concerned. Our security, economy, society, they are all under threat,” Herzog warned.
The Prime Minister’s decision brought more than 600,000 people to the streets in massive and impromptu protests in several Israeli cities.
Universities across the country have closed “until further notice” in protest and unions are expected to call a general strike.
The judicial reform triggered one of Israel’s most serious internal crises, uniting business leaders, judicial officials and even the country’s military in widespread opposition.
The centerpiece of the review is a law that will give the ruling coalition the final say on all judicial appointments. Other laws may give parliament the ability to overturn Supreme Court decisions and limit judicial review of laws.
Netanyahu and his allies said the plan would restore the balance between the judicial and executive branches and rein in what they see as an interventionist court with liberal sympathies.
But critics warned that the laws would remove Israel’s system of checks and balances and concentrate power in the hands of the ruling coalition, adding that Netanyahu, who is to be tried on corruption charges, had a conflict of interest.
Source: TSF
