Justice Minister Yariv Levin responded on Sunday evening to the speech of President Isaac Herzog and to his call to stop the legislative proceedings of the judicial reform in order to negotiate.
"The President's speech took place while I was participating in the discussion in the political-security cabinet. Only after the discussion was I able to listen to his words with great attention. There are positive elements in his proposal, and it also has elements that perpetuate the existing abnormal situation," said Levin.
However, he added, "As I have said all along, I am ready and interested in holding real talks with members of the opposition who will agree to it, and it is best to start these talks immediately. In order for the talks not to become a means of foot-dragging to delay and prevent a substantial and significant reform in the judicial system, the talks should not be linked to the progress of the legislative procedures."
"Along with advancing the legislation, we all have enough time to be able to talk and reach understandings before the second and third readings," Levin said.
National Unity Party chairman MK Benny Gantz said in response, "As I said last week: We will not agree 'to a situation where one committee runs a coup d'état, and next to it there is a ‘decoration committee’ that conducts idle discussions with only one goal, and that is to silence the protests. The delay of the legislation is a precondition to any negotiations."
The chairwoman of the Labor Party, MK Merav Michaeli, added, "This is the second time that Levin has rejected the president's proposal for talks. This, in addition to the discussions that the coalition is aggressively conducting in the Knesset Constitution Committee headed by [MK Simcha] Rothman, make it clear that there is no one to talk to. It is no coincidence that the most extremist people were appointed to the positions of chairman of the Constitution Committee and the Minister of Justice."
"Levin's reaction once again reveals the ill will of this coalition, the danger that the President recognized - to crush the judicial system and the democratic nature of Israel. We must not reach agreements on a judicial coup. Not in one week and not at all. The threat of this legislation hangs over the head of democracy and we must intensify the protest to stop it," Michaeli said.
In his speech, President Herzog reiterated his call on the Netanyahu government and the opposition to reach a compromise on the proposed judicial reform plan.
Herzog acknowledged the need for judicial reform, emphasizing the independence of the Israeli legislature, while also calling for greater ethnic diversity in the judiciary.
At the same time, Herzog called on the Netanyahu government not to move forward with its plans to bring part of the reform plan to a vote in the Knesset committee on Monday, thus delaying the expected Knesset plenum vote on Wednesday.
Instead, Herzog urged the government to work towards reaching a compromise with the opposition, enabling passage of a more moderate reform plan.