Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke Thursday and addressed the reform of the judicial system, against the background of Defense Minister Galant's intention to publicly call for a halt to the legislation. Surprising almost everyone, Netanyahu doubled down on the reform, while offering an opportunity for dialogue to the opposition, but insisting the legislation will pass.

Netanyahu began his speech saying that "a few months ago, as soon as the election results were announced, I said, 'I intend to be the prime minister of all the citizens of Israel.' We cannot allow any dispute, no matter how acute, to endanger the common future of all of us."

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A bipartisan supermajority of over 90 Knesset members signed a letter with a joint call to honor the State Memorial day for members of the Israel Defense Forces that will take place soon, and to leave all political differences and controversies aside for the solemn day. The letter was written at the initiative of Knesset Member (MK) Chili Tropper who sits in the opposition, and members of Knesset were invited to sign and participate in the important call to the Israeli public, to avoid bringing the fierce controversy that is tearing the nation apart into the cemeteries on the days of remembrance.

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After the coalition rejected the president's compromise outline for reforming the justice system, Diaspora Minister and Minister for Social Equality, Amichai Chikli, claimed Sunday morning on an Israeli radio show that a softened reform will be presented and it is the one that will be promoted. "Now we need to soften the reform unilaterally. A softened reform will be presented and it is the one that will be promoted. There may be changes in the schedules, that's where we're headed," he said.

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It took just a few minutes from the end of the President's speech regarding a compromise in the judicial reform laws until the Knesset members and ministers in the governing coalition announced that they emphatically rejected the compromise outline he proposed. Benny Gantz’s party said that the outline was acceptable to them, and Yair Lapid’s “Yesh Atid” party said a lot but fell far short of endorsing or criticizing the President's suggestions. Thus, after many months, the option of negotiations between the parties was closed, and the government will continue to push judicial reform unilaterally.

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The Kohelet Forum, several of whose leaders were involved in the design of the judicial reform, published their first official announcement since the legislation of the reform began. In the announcement, the members of the forum refer both to the great efforts they were involved in trying to reach a broad consensus, and to the main issue that still remains in dispute, the selection of justices to the Israeli Supreme Court.

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