Several sections of what appears to be President Yitzhak Herzog's compromise outline on the reform of the judicial system were published Tuesday morning by several Israeli media outlets, and they seem to be getting mixed, yet welcoming reviews by both sides of the political conflict.
Despite the many comments and the heavy media coverage, the President’s Office said in response: "The publications this morning are not on the opinion of the President or on his behalf. It will be clarified and emphasized that this is not an outline of the President of the State. This is one of many proposals submitted in recent weeks by researchers and academics from various institutes. The President of the State has not yet formulated a final outline and after it is formulated the president will present it to the citizens of Israel."
Watch: #Israel’s President Isaac #Herzog says a compromise in the government’s judicial overhaul plan could be imminent, stating that “we are closer than ever to the possibility of an agreed outline.”https://t.co/f76FnOU5rx pic.twitter.com/ATSEGtyQCe
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) March 7, 2023
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Yariv Levin and Constitution Committee Chairman Simcha Rothman responded: "We are happy with the president's clarification that what was published as the 'Presidential Outline' is not his opinion or on his behalf.
“Apart from that, as is clear to any reader, the current ‘outline’ is a sterilization of the reform from its basic natural course. Regardless, the president said in his speech that he would make every effort to bring the parties to an agreement. We congratulated and still congratulate these efforts of the president, and we are willing to dedicate, together and separately, hours and days to talk with any party that shows a willingness to conduct a serious dialogue on the matter."
President @Isaac_Herzog says compromise on judicial reform ‘closer than ever. But Israel’s opposition leaders Lapid & Gantz say a dialogue with the government cannot take place as long as it refuses to halt the legislation process. https://t.co/At8hvuyILe via @all_israel_news
— Joel C. Rosenberg (@JoelCRosenberg) March 7, 2023
The coalition members' statement also added: "In addition, we know that many bodies were involved in trying to reach an agreed outline, in the President's residence and outside. There is a broad consensus, both in the public, in academia, in high-tech, and in the economy, and among the members of the Knesset on the need for broad and comprehensive reform and on its fundamental principles after many days of discussions, it can be clearly said that there are broad agreements at hand, ones that will not displace the reform from its essentials and will benefit from a broad consensus. We will continue our attempts to reach broad agreements just as we have done in recent months."
“When you want to come and be adults and not like little kids in a kindergarten, then it’s definitely possible to get to a [joint] draft.”
— Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) March 5, 2023
Former Knesset Speaker @YuliEdelstein backs calls to pause judicial reform along President Herzog's parameters.https://t.co/wA6Xzowdi7
Opposition member, Gadi Eizenkot, also responded to the President’s mediation and added that "the outline is the beginning of a discussion between politicians. In the end, the vote will be in the Knesset and not in the president's house. There is a clear condition that the president also set for the cessation of legislation and negotiations. We can talk about this with the understanding that in my eyes the red line is that the political system does not take over the legal system. This is a red line."
