Simcha Rothman
Simcha Rothmanצילום: יונתן זינדל, פלאש 90

The chairman of the Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee has endorsed President Isaac Herzog’s call to hold negotiations with Opposition leaders for a compromise on the government’s proposed judicial reform plan.

MK Simcha Rothman (Religious Zionist Party) in a statement Monday morning thanked President Herzog for his call Sunday evening for dialogue, and urged Opposition lawmakers as well as the chief justice of the Supreme Court, Esther Hayut, to join Coalition lawmakers for talks at the president’s residence.

“The president expressed the sentiments of many people, and emphasized the importance of national unity as well as the need to reform the judiciary, to correct what he called its injustices and failings – in effect, the same goals we are seeking with our reform, to make the justice system just once again.”

Rothman lauded the president for the framework for a compromise laid out in his Sunday evening address, saying Herzog’s proposal was not significantly different from his own.

“And the differences certainly do not justify the apocalyptic prognostications or alarmist claims of the end of democracy that we’ve heard in recent weeks,” Rothman said, referencing the protest movement against the government’s planned reforms.

“There are parts of the president’s proposal which I think are correct, and others which I believe need to be properly adjusted to the problems we are experiencing, [problems] which we promised our voters we would correct, albeit through dialogue between the Opposition and the Coalition.”

“I believe that we will be able to work through much of our differences and reach a plan that enjoys broad support. As Justice Minister Yariv Levin said, we’ve already started.”

Rothman did not promise, however, to defer Monday’s planned committee vote on the judicial reform plan, saying the timing was not his alone to determine.

“I believe, like Minister Levin, that we can and need to have dialogue – without delaying the legislation. Though at this stage, even today – even before the bill goes up for its preliminary vote – I would be happy to sit, as the president requested, without delay, for talks brokered by the president wherever he would like, with any representative of the Opposition interested in joining, with no preconditions.”

“I call on members of the Opposition and on Esther Hayut, president of the Supreme Court: Come to the president’s (residence).”