Five parliamentarians – including two Likud politicians – called for a non-partisan consensus dialogue to be held on the judicial reform under the auspices of President Isaac Herzog.
“We have no doubt that despite the difficult disputes, we must act in every way to reach broad agreements,” said four parliamentarians who penned an open letter on the matter on Wednesday.
Those who signed it were Likud MKs Yuli Edelstein and Danny Danon as well as two opposition parliamentarians from the National Unity Party, Gadi Eisenkot and Chili Tropper.
“Public and elected representatives have an obligation to act immediately to end the disputes and to reach an agreement, and above all to stop the danger of disintegration that lies before us as a society and as a country.”
Yuli Edelstein, Danny Danon, Gadi Eisenkot, Chili Tropper
“Public and elected representatives have an obligation to act immediately to end the disputes and to reach an agreement, and above all to stop the danger of disintegration that lies before us as a society and as a country,” they wrote.
The parliamentarians called on government and opposition representatives to answer Herzog's invitation and to engage with him in talks based on the outline he has proposed, which includes the suspension of any advancement of the reform until a consensus agreement is reached.
The government, including Justice Minister Yariv Levin, has been open to consensus talks but has insisted that these talks must occur alongside advancement of the reform.
Gantz and Netanyahu talk about negotiations
National Unity Party head Benny Gantz spoke on Wednesday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Knesset speaker MK Amir Ohana, asking them to halt the advancement of the judicial reform and to go with him to Herzog’s office to hold consensus talks.
He and opposition leader Yair Lapid have insisted that there is no point in responding to Herzog’s invitation as long as the judicial reform moves forward.
Although Netanyahu told Gantz that “my door is always open to you,” he did not call for a halt in the proceedings. Instead, he issued sharp statements against judicial reform protesters who blocked roads and acted violently toward the police during country-wide protests Wednesday against the overhaul.
Herzog reissued his call for non-partisan consensus talks, saying that he heard the anxieties and concerns of Israeli citizens who had gone to the street to protest.
“We are in a difficult time of a deep and severe internal crisis that threatens us all,” the president said
This is a moment where the country “could descend into a terrible abyss” or could “reach a broad consensus solution.”
“I will not allow our State of Israel – the one that belongs to all of us – to reach the point of no return. I will not let this historic disaster take place. I will never give up on Israeli society – nor on the chance of reaching a broad agreement.”
Isaac Herzog
“I will not allow our State of Israel – the one that belongs to all of us – to reach the point of no return. I will not let this historic disaster take place. I will never give up on Israeli society – nor on the chance of reaching a broad agreement,” Herzog said.
“I believe with all my heart that this crisis moment can be transformed into a constitutional moment.”
This could be the moment when safeguards are placed around democracy that will preserve the principles of the Declaration of Independence, which includes supremacy of the law, human rights and the separation of powers, he said.
“I believe we can transform the burning ground under our feet into fertile soil that is ripe for an agreement – which will bring stability to the State of Israel for generations to come.”