Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu addressed the public, announcing that legal reform legislation would continue but that he would strive to reach a broad consensus. However, investors were not satisfied with his statement as Defense Minister Yoav Galant had reportedly demanded the legislation be frozen, leading to speculation that chances of it being halted were increasing. Netanyahu attacked the court in his speech, arguing that democracy was at risk from an all-powerful Supreme Court or a Knesset that acted unencumbered and harmed individual rights. He vowed to correct and promote reform that balanced the authorities. Netanyahu violated the conflict of interest agreement, permitting him to interfere with legal system changes because of his legal status. The opposition party criticized his speech, primarily attacking the lack of negotiation after Netanyahu refused to stop the legislation. Protest leaders vowed to increase their demonstrations against what they call “predatory legislation.”
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu gave this evening A special statement to the public. Netanyahu announced that the legal reform legislation will continue, but he will work to reach a “broad consensus”.
Investors are at least not satisfied with the Prime Minister’s statement. Just before the closing of the stock exchange in Tel Aviv, reports began to emerge that Defense Minister Yoav Galant would demand that the legislation be frozen and speculations began that the chances of this were increasing. In response, the shekel strengthened sharply against the dollar, to a level of 3.55 shekels to one American currency. Now, after Netanyahu’s words, the trend has reversed and the dollar-shekel rate is climbing back to the level of 3.6 shekels.
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The statement was supposed to take place after the speech of Defense Minister Gallant, who, as mentioned, according to the reports, was expected to call for the legislation to be stopped. But after a meeting with Netanyahu, in which Gallant presented him with the impact of the legislative processes on the IDF and the security establishment, and at the Prime Minister’s request, Gallant rejected his statement.
“I will do everything in my power to reach a solution”
In a speech, Netanyahu attacked the court, saying “the supporters of the reform think that there is no real democracy here, and what endangers democracy is an all-powerful Supreme Court, which in practice is the one that runs the country. On the other hand, the opponents of the reform think that what will endanger democracy is a Knesset and a government that will act without Brakes and without restraints and will harm the rights of the individual. A proper democratic regime must deal with these two issues. It must ensure the rule of the majority and preserve the rights of the individual.”
Netanyahu also said that “many people who do not define themselves as supporters of the reform agree that it is necessary to make corrections, and to carry out a fundamental reform in the courts. But there are those who fear that the proposed democratic reform will go too far. That it will allow the government and the Knesset to take over the courts. overcome any ruling. Enact any law. They fear a Halacha state, and an illiberal state. Legislation against LGBT people, secularists, women, minorities, so in light of these concerns, I say tonight: I believe it is possible to pass a reform that will provide an answer to both sides. in the country. We did not come to run over and trample, we came to balance and correct. That is why we are determined to correct and responsibly promote the democratic reform that will restore the balance between the authorities.”
In his speech, Netanyahu referred to the superseding clause and said “I want to answer the main concern raised by the other side. There is a fear of a sweeping, unlimited superseding clause, which would result in any small majority in the Knesset being able to invalidate any decision of the High Court. I want to tell you clearly – this will not happen. On the contrary – I intend to enshrine individual rights in the law. We will guarantee the basic rights of all citizens of Israel – Jews and non-Jews, religious and non-religious, women, LGBT people – all of them. Without exception. Every legislation will be committed to these principles. I will personally see to it that it is so.
“Until today, my hands were tied. We have reached an absurd situation where if I had entered this event, which my job requires, they threatened to take me out as Prime Minister to Netzbrats – something that would have nullified the election results and the will of millions of citizens. This is an absurd thing that is not possible in a reformed democracy. That’s why I’m informing you, my fellow citizens of Israel – that’s it. I enter the event. I put aside all other considerations. For the sake of our people and our country, I will do everything in my power to reach a solution. I met tonight with a series of ministers, including the Minister of Defense, I heard his concerns about the situation regarding our national security. I take everything into account. And in the same breath – I must say again – there is no room for refusal. It endangers our national security and the personal security of each of us. There is no justification for refusal.”
Netanyahu violated the conflict of interest agreement
Tonight, Netanyahu violated the conflict of interest agreement that prohibits him from interfering with changes in the legal system due to his legal status. Regarding the change in the composition of the Committee for the Selection of Judges, last month the attorney Gali Beharev Miara said that it “may therefore affect the judges of the District Court in Jerusalem and the judges of the Supreme Court, the court authorized to conduct judicial review of decisions made during the conduct of the Prime Minister’s criminal trial and which is expected Discuss the appeal as much as is filed against the decision of the district court”.
This morning the law was passed that will not allow Netanyahu to be taken to prison due to the violation of the agreement. He openly addressed this in his speech and said – “Until today my hands were tied – they threatened to take me to the fortresses until today. I am informing you – I am entering the event. I will do everything in my power to reach a solution.”
Comments: “The way to prevent a split in the nation is to abolish all laws”
In response to Netanyahu’s speech, the head of the opposition and chairman of Yesh Atid Yair Lapid said: “Instead of stopping the legislation and calming the spirits, Netanyahu again approached and complained, and continued to spread disgraceful lies against the justice system that there is nothing between them and reality. The voice is Netanyahu’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Yariv Levin.
“Netanyahu refused to stop the legislation and his announcement that they are bringing about the change in the committee for the appointment of judges next week proves that he has no intention of holding real negotiations. This is a complete blind eye.
“I call on the people in charge in Likud, stop Yariv Levin. Do not pass the change to the committee for the appointment of judges and come to the president’s house for talks. Stop the attempt to turn us into an undemocratic country. Listen to the hundreds of thousands of loyal patriots who took to the streets. Listen to the Minister of Defense, the people of the economy and security.”
The response of the protest leaders: “This coming Saturday we will hold demonstrations for the 12th time in a row across the country, at the center of the event the freedom demonstration on Kaplan Street. The protest will intensify. Instead of stopping and shelving the legislation, he is racing to appoint judges who judge the politicians, and take over a hostile takeover of the Supreme Court. He continues to incite against the court and releases spins everywhere. The way to prevent a rift among the people is to abolish all the laws of the dictatorship. All calls for negotiations when the legislation continues are illegitimate.”
The headquarters of the Hi-Tech Workers’ Struggle stated: “We have no faith in predatory legislative procedures and empty promises. We have woken up, and we do not intend to stop until this predatory legislation is stopped and shelved. If there is one thing that this period proves to us, it is that a constitution is needed to protect Israeli democracy from a handful of extremists who are trying to corrupt it “.
Gallant tried to recruit members of Knesset to support stopping the legislation
During the last 24 hours, Gallant spoke with a number of Knesset members from the Likud, including Nir Barkat, Danny Danon and Yuli Edelstein, and told them that he plans to call for a halt to the legislation that the government continues to promote. It was also announced that the minister even tried to recruit Knesset members to support his call. Last night (Wed), the Minister of Defense also met with the chairman of the state camp Benny Gantz.
In the meantime, and following the publications on Gallant’s and Netanyahu’s statements, Shas senior officials said that they would support “whatever Netanyahu decides”. Minister of Information Galit Distal Atabrian, on the other hand, turned to Twitter and tweeted “Any member of Knesset from the Likud who plans to stop the legislation is invited to resign.”
Communications Minister Shlomo Karai also expressed his opposition to stopping the legislation as part of the legal revolution and said: “I firmly oppose any attempt to stop the minimal legislation left for this conference, and express my disgust at the cynical use of the military by the refuseniks to promote it. Such a shameful withdrawal from our commitments will lead to an intensification of the protest, to a stop to all Another initiative that we would like to promote in every field, and in the end God forbid the dissolution of the government and the rise of a new disaster government that is as bad as it never was.”