Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that he will suspend the legal reform legislation that was in progress. The decision was made “out of national responsibility” and to provide time for a potential broad agreement on the issue before the next session of the Knesset. While some opposition figures welcomed the decision and expressed openness to negotiations, others criticized the move as an attempt to diffuse the ongoing protests that have erupted around the legislation. The leaders of the protests pledged to continue their demonstrations until the legislation is shelved and negotiations begin for an inclusive constitution for the country. Leaders from various political parties also weighed in on the announcement, with some calling it a “mistake” and others urging for unity and constructive dialogue. Finally, President Yitzhak Herzog called for “responsible” conversation and cooperation to address the current crisis.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced this evening (Monday) that he is suspending the further advancement of the legal reform legislation. “Out of national responsibility, I decided to suspend the second and third reading of the law in this session of the Knesset, to give time to try and reach a broad agreement, in preparation for the legislation during the next session,” he noted, and the reactions in the political system were not slow to arrive.
Netanyahu: “I’m taking a break for talks, the crisis requires us to act responsibly”
Following the Prime Minister’s words: the Histadrut announced the end of the general strike
There were those in the opposition who welcomed the stoppage of the legislation and expressed a willingness to go to negotiations, but on the other hand there were many who warned and claimed that this was an attempt to text the protest when the reform legislation will be renewed in the next session of the Knesset. Even in the coalition, not everyone welcomed the stop and there were also those who called the move a “mistake”, but made it clear that they respect the Prime Minister’s decision.
The leaders of the protest against the reform On the other hand, they clarified that “if there is no Geniza – we continue the struggle.” They said that “the announcements of the Prime Minister and his extremist partners are an admission of their intention to re-legislate the laws of the dictatorship in the next session, thus harming the economy and the security of the country.
“As long as the legislation continues and is not shelved, we will be on the streets. This is another attempt to weaken the protest in order to enact a dictatorship. As we said from the first moment, as long as the legislation is not shelved and it is agreed that there will be no unilateral legislation, but only with broad agreement we will continue the protest.”
Headquarters of the high-tech workers’ struggle He said that “Netanyahu’s inciting speech has already led tonight to an attack on demonstrators in Jerusalem. This is not a stop. This is a failed anesthesia attempt, on the way to a full-fledged dictatorship. We will not stop, and we will not stop the protest until the legislation is shelved, and honest and open negotiations begin, without an ultimatum, for the establishment Constitution for Israel. The protest continues.”
Yair Lapid (Photo: Mark Israel Salem)
Leader of the opposition and chairman of Yesh Atid Yair Lapid He stated in response to Netanyahu: “We are willing to go to negotiations. We must sit together and write a constitution based on the values of the Declaration of Independence, we must trust the president. This is what we demanded – real negotiations. We are learning from bitter experience, we will make sure that there is no exercise here.”
Lapid opened by saying: “I heard Prime Minister Netanyahu’s statement. If the legislation is indeed stopped, a real and absolute stop. We are willing to go to the President of the State for talks. The State of Israel is wounded and in pain. We should not put a Band-Aid on the wounds, but really treat them. In the 75th year of the country, we must sit together and write a constitution based on the values of the Declaration of Independence.”
“We must let the president establish a dialogue mechanism and trust him as a fair mediator. This is all we have demanded in the last two months: real, constructive dialogue, of a leadership that is ready to take responsibility. Modi has bitter experience from the past, we will first of all make sure that there is no exercise or eye catching here.”
“We heard with concern the report according to which Netanyahu told his associates, ‘I’m not really stopping, I’m just calming the spirits.’ If he tries to drill us, he will again find hundreds of thousands of Israeli patriots in front of him who are determined to fight for our democracy. We are determined to be the protective wall of the Jewish and democratic state.”
“On the other hand, if the government comes to real and fair negotiations, we can emerge from this breaking point stronger, more united, and turn this moment into a defining moment in our common life. This is the biggest crisis in the country’s history. We have a responsibility to solve it together, so that we can live here together. We We need to build today the country where our children will live in the future.
Benny Gantz (Photo: Mark Israel Salem)
The chairman of the state camp MK Benny Gantz Message: “Congratulations to Netanyahu for the decision to stop, better late than never.” He also said: “This is not the time to fire the defense minister and give a prize to our enemy. I call for him to be kept in office. We must come out united and strengthened. I stood up and said that we may end up in a civil war, we have tremendous challenges, relations with the US, the fight against the Iranian nuclear weapon.”
“I am sorry that even in these difficult times, there are cynical and extreme politicians who do not rise to the occasion. The barn burners are trying to start a war between the parties. We will not let them. The stop is thanks to the moving protest that went down in history, whose struggle is not over yet. You are my brothers and I will act as a leader who sees Everyone”.
“The Prime Minister is the first person responsible for the rift in the nation. But all of us – coalition and opposition – bear the responsibility to nurse it. No one has the right to shirk this duty. We should all call in unison – no to fratricidal war. No to violence. No to compromise on the heart of democracy, as well as agreements and negotiations. I will continue to oppose the government, but in everything related to the rule of law and democracy, I will support it wholeheartedly. I intend to come to the talks with an open heart and a willing heart. We will show up immediately at the president’s residence and extend our hand. Not with the goal of subjugation, but to succeed.”
“I call on Netanyahu to remove the threats, ultimatums and extreme statements that keep us away from the goal. Stop everything and send a team there. We will work to strengthen democracy, improve governance, maintain the independence of the judicial system. We will not compromise on the principles of democracy, on service to the citizen, on a basic law of legislation Comprehensive and inclusive – we will turn over every stone, in order to succeed. We have only begun to see the bad alternative to the rule of law – we do not have the mandate to fail.”
“I know how strong the people are and how great the task is for us leaders to be worthy of it. I am committed to working so that democracy will be strengthened, that the people will be united, and that security will be preserved. With God’s help, with the help of responsible conduct and leadership that sees the interests of the State of Israel above all else – we will also meet the challenge The great one who stands in front of us and we will come out strengthened. This is our shift.”
Yitzhak Herzog (Photo: Yonatan Zindel, Flash 90)
Also the president of the country Yitzhak Herzog Birech: “Stopping the legislation is the right thing. It is time to start an honest, serious and responsible conversation that will urgently calm the spirits and lower the flames. I call on everyone to show responsibility. Demonstration and protest – from any side – yes. Violence – in no way. If one side wins – The state will lose. We must be preserved as one people and as one state – Jewish and democratic.
“For the sake of our unity and for the future of our sons and daughters – we need to start talking here and now. The President’s House, the abode of the people, is open to being a space for discussions and the formation of agreements as broad as possible, with the aim of rescuing our beloved State of Israel from the deep crisis we are in. “And you gave peace in the land, and joy A world for its inhabitants.”
Chairman of Israel Beytinu MK Avigdor Lieberman A message in response to Netanyahu’s statement: “The Prime Minister’s speech proves that Netanyahu is more determined than ever to complete all legislation, including the Basic Law of the Judiciary and taking over the Supreme Court.”
“He has no intention of promoting real negotiations, but his intention is to wait for a convenient time, to text the protest and place all the blame on the opposition as the party that did not agree to a compromise. That is why we must continue the protest, with the aim of establishing a new coalition based on the Zionist parties and ending the crisis with a broad agreement on The issue of equality in the burden, the establishment of a constitution and the establishment of a constitutional court”.
MK Yulia Malinovsky (Israel Beitenu): “No one buys Netanyahu’s lies anymore. The protest left him no choice and he had to stop the legislation in order to survive. Now he says he is reaching out to put everyone to sleep in order to gain legitimacy. Everyone knows that as soon as the Knesset returns to the summer session You will promote the government snitch on steroids. There is no faith in a pathological liar.”
Former minister MK Gideon Saar: “The legislation was blocked due to the protest. All along the way we repeated and said: if there is a stoppage of the legislation – there will be a willingness on our part to negotiate in an attempt to reach a broad agreement. To stand by our principles in the negotiation process.”
Chairman of the Labor Party, MK Marev Michaeli: “On the day when it becomes clear that Netanyahu learned from the Poles how to suppress demonstrations, he again addresses his supporters only, with a speech full of lies and incitement towards half of the people. There was no delay and no other exercise. How many more times can we fall into the trap of cooperating with Netanyahu?
We have said along the way – only a complete disregard for the dangerous coup laws. Netanyahu is not putting them away, he is buying time at the expense of our democracy. The struggle and the protest must continue and intensify.”
MK Gilad Kriv (The Work): “The Prime Minister’s announcement on the suspension of the legislation is a significant achievement of the democratic protest. However, the struggle is far from over. Only the abolition of the destructive legislation in all its stages and the opening of a process to formulate constitutional arrangements with broad consensus will remove the threat to Israeli democracy.”
“These arrangements must include the anchoring of the principle of equality and human rights, the enactment of the Basic Law of Legislation and the guarantee of the absolute independence of the courts. A huge and determined Israeli public will not allow Netanyahu to renew the anti-democratic legislation even in the next congress, and will continue to show his strength in the streets in the last weeks and months as well “.
Arnon Bar David (Photo: Avshalom Sashoni)
Chairman of the Histadrut Arnon Bar David He announced the end of the strike in the economy due to the stoppage of the legislation: “I congratulate the Prime Minister for stopping the legislative process and for choosing the unity of the people. I will be the first to assist Prime Minister Netanyahu in leading negotiations to create a reform that will be drafted by mutual agreement between the parties, and will bring about the unification of the divisions in the nation.”
“I call on all my friends in the government and in the Knesset, on the left and on the right, to put the ego aside and see the good of the people and the future of Israeli society before your eyes. On our shift, an event is taking place, one of the biggest and most difficult in the nation’s history, and we must all show responsibility and leadership for the future of our children.”
“Following the Prime Minister’s announcement, I am announcing that the strike in the economy, which I announced this morning, will end. I thank all the partners in the move: the heads of the economy and the representatives of the employers, the heads of the committees, the workers, the members of the Histadrut leadership and the workers of the Histadrut. Together we will return the State of Israel to the right path.”
former prime minister Ehud Barak announced that the protest was continuing. “An attempt to put the protest to sleep. It will not happen. There will be no negotiations with a gun to the head. Only the cancellation of all legislation, and a discussion on strengthening the independence of the judiciary are possible. We do not believe in Netanyahu, fight until victory.”
The Movement for the Quality of Government: “The regime coup laws must be shelved completely. Neither suspended nor stopped. Shelved. The delay of the legislation looks like a cheap political exercise designed entirely to wait for a moment of fitness when the anti-democratic legislative blitz will return to our lives anew. There is no good faith here. The movement for the quality of government is calling on the leaders of the opposition Continue to fight against the dangerous legislation that could degenerate Israel into a dictatorship. Until then, the protest will grow. We will continue to fight for our democracy until a constitution is established for the homeland.”
Chairman of the Constitution Committee Simcha Rothman (Photo: Mark Israel Salem)
Religious Zionism: “Stopping the legislation is a mistake, but they respect the Prime Minister’s decision”
Also the Minister of Defense Yoav Galant He welcomed the decision to stop the legislation in favor of negotiations. foreign Minister Eli Cohen expressed support for the Prime Minister’s statement: “Strengthens the Prime Minister for his leadership decision to temporarily freeze the reform. There cannot be a fratricidal war. The reform is necessary to strengthen democracy and we are committed to it. But out of national responsibility we must stop now, in order to restore unity and implement a reform that will Over time, I believe in the people of Israel and know that out of the controversy we will grow and become stronger.”
Minister of Transportation Miri Regev: “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu postponed the reform until the next session for the sake of the unity of the people. I respect his decision and support it, although I thought it would have been right to pass the outline this week. But we will pass it in the next session. We saw the demonstration of the national camp tonight. Hundreds Thousands of right-wing people from all over the country came to support and strengthen. The outline is true and just.”
Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, MK Yuli Edelstein Message: “Now, when we have stopped and turned to honest and real talk – the protest will be tested. Those who remain in the streets – their goal is the overthrow of the right-wing government and no slogan or cliché will be able to hide this. Those who reach out to unite and bring hearts together – their goal is pure and innocent. The responsibility is on them, now we will know who For a common future with Israel and those for destruction and ruin.”
Minister of Intelligence, MK Gamaliel revealed: “I congratulate Prime Minister Netanyahu for the decision to stop the legislative process in favor of negotiations. The State of Israel stands above all and the unity of the people is the highest interest of all of us. The reform of the judicial system is important and necessary and will be done in the right way.”
Religious Zionism In response to the decision to stop the reform: “We thought and we still believe that the decision to stop the legislation and the reform because of threats of refusal, anarchy and wild strikes is a mistake. The citizens of Israel must not understand that in the country “every Dalim is a man” and that the policy of the Israeli government will not be determined in elections but in the street and in the media.
“At the same time, we respect the Prime Minister’s decision and support him as the leader of the national camp, and we are committed to the continued existence of the government, which is a good right-wing government with major challenges in reforming the justice system, restoring personal security, settling, lowering the cost of living, strengthening Jewish identity, and more.
“We are very sorry for the rift in the nation and support dialogue and dialogue to achieve broad consensus, but we will not allow anyone to veto the choice of the citizens of Israel in the elections in favor of reforming the judicial system. We will continue, with God’s help and with the help of the majority of the people who support this, to advance the reforms in the judicial system as we promised before the elections And we will bring the necessary change to return power to the people and correct the injustices of the justice system.”