A week after the president presented his "five-point" plan for negotiations, including a call to pause the judicial reform legislation in the first reading, key clauses in the Netanyahu-Levin plan were approved tonight. Tuesday morning, President Isaac Herzog reacted for the first time to the approval of the laws, in a personal conversation with Hanoch Daum at the Yedioth Ahronoth “People of Israel Conference.”
"This is a difficult morning," the president said at the beginning of his remarks, "I must say that it is a very, very difficult morning because there is a feeling of sadness. Many, many citizens from all over Israeli society, many, many people who voted for this coalition, and many, many ultra-orthodox citizens seek the unity of the people."
Despite Herzog's call last week to stop the legislation and start negotiations, the Knesset tonight voted to approve two articles that are at the center of the judicial revolution. According to the proposal that passed the first reading, the composition of the committee for the selection of justices will be changed so that the coalition will have a majority in it. In addition, the Supreme Court will be prevented from interfering with basic laws. Out of the 120-member legislative body, 63 Knesset Members (MK's) voted in favor, and 47 opposed. Members of Avigdor Lieberman's Yisroel Beiteinu party boycotted the vote.
Herzog: “C’est une matinée difficile – mais le différend peut être résolu” https://t.co/rHHlANMudk
— Infos-Israel.News (@InfosIsraelNews) February 21, 2023
During the conference, Herzog insists: "We need to make every effort so that after this vote it will be possible to continue negotiating, to reach an agreed outline that will get us out of this difficult period, into a period of an agreed-upon constitutional reform." According to him, "the dispute can be resolved. The majority of the people want a solution, the majority of the people want an agreed outline."
Herzog clarified: "This is not a done deal just because it has passed the first reading, it is not yet gone through the second and third reading. I think the responsibility, in the end, is on whoever pushes the legislation." He addressed the coalition: "It is right and proper that you find a way to reach out in such a way as to allow a sense of trust in the process, in the negotiation process." The President of the State noted to the coalition that to "prove generosity as winners, you must find a way to bring the opposition to the negotiating table."
Israel's President Herzog: After legislative coup, coalition must be 'gracious in victory' https://t.co/5b6HPLwwO5
— BB Bigshanks (@BBBigshanks2019) February 21, 2023
In the meantime, organizers of the demonstrations revealed their stubbornness and referred to Herzog's speech by saying: "The president abandoned the guiding principle he himself established, stopping the legislation to the state it was before the votes in the committee and the plenum. He seems to think he is the president of the Likud and not the president of the country. The president should come out and declare that this is a clearly unconstitutional law and therefore he should announce that he will not appoint justices if the law passes."
