On Monday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation amidst the turmoil in the Knesset and the cancellation of the "Clause for Reasonableness," which triggered nationwide protests. Despite the challenges, Netanyahu remained optimistic about reaching an agreement on the entire judicial reform legislation by the end of November, and he called on the opposition to refrain from involving the Israel Defense Forces in their disagreements.
Netanyahu clarified the purpose of passing the amendment on the reasonableness law, emphasizing that it aimed to enable the elected government to lead the country's policies in accordance with the majority's decision. However, he also criticized the opposition, expressing disappointment that none of the coalition's compromise proposals were accepted. He pointed out that some senior opposition members had previously supported changes to the Clause for Reasonableness, while others had even considered its complete abolition.
At this time: two top ministers bickering on each other. On the left side: Def Min Gallant looking for compromise as Israel’s reserve military is about to collapse. On the right hardline Justice Min Levin. In the middle PM @netanyahu Netanyahu mostly succumbed to Levin pic.twitter.com/E06YYJ7RTw
— Tal Schneider טל שניידר تال شنايدر (@talschneider) July 24, 2023
Despite the setbacks, Netanyahu assured the nation of his government's unwavering commitment to seeking negotiations and broader agreements. He emphasized their readiness to engage in dialogue with the opposition, urging them to discuss all matters openly and work towards a comprehensive agreement. Netanyahu underscored that there was ample time until the end of November to achieve this and cautioned against either side attempting to take control of the Supreme Court during the process.
Watching Netanyahu. It doesn’t ring very true that the opposition is the one that won’t compromise when we saw on live tv the moment that the defense minister begged the justice minister to do “something! something!” to compromise.
— Lahav Harkov (@LahavHarkov) July 24, 2023
Addressing a critical issue, Netanyahu urged the nation to keep the IDF out of political controversies. He reminded everyone of the dedication of reservists who love their country and stressed that calls for refusal to serve could jeopardize the security of all citizens. He firmly asserted that no government should yield to such demands and called upon reservists to refrain from engaging in political debates.
Netanyahu: Opposition refused every single compromise | World Israel News https://t.co/GWblf6utvI
— David Shapiro (@shapiro40) July 25, 2023
Concluding his address, Netanyahu extended an olive branch to the opposition leaders, encouraging them to move beyond ongoing arguments and conflicts. Instead, he appealed to them to prioritize reaching agreements for the future and advocated for peace and mutual respect among all parties.
Likud rejected Histadrut compromise, the president in an "emergency meeting" with Netanyahu in Sheba Hospital. Hour of decision: The leaders of the opposition will meet to "coordinate positions" before the vote. Chairman of the Histadrut: "A strike can be announced at any… pic.twitter.com/xTHIrlnLEb
— Eli Dror (@edrormba) July 23, 2023
In summary, Netanyahu's statement aimed to emphasize the government's willingness to find common ground, express concerns about the opposition's unwillingness to compromise and stress the importance of keeping the IDF neutral in political matters.
