Israel’s President Calls for Dialogue After Judicial Reform Bill Passes 1st Reading

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog, who last week in a heartfelt, nationally broadcast speech pleaded for dialogue and compromise over the controversial judicial reforms planned by the government of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, said on Tuesday, hours after the legislation made a significant advance, that there is a feeling of sorrow throughout the country, and that people from all parts of Israeli society, including htose that voted for the most right-wing government in Israel’s history “are anxious about the unity of the nation.”

Israel’s parliament passed the first of three readings of a bill to reform the judicial system overnight Monday, hours after tens of thousands gathered outside the Knesset in Jerusalem to protest against the overhaul. The draft legislation that passed its first hurdle after hours of debate in the plenum would put control over the selection of judges in the hands of the government. Many opposition lawmakers, who like the protesters say the overhaul endangers the democratic nature of the state, arrived for the debate draped in the Israeli flag.

The vote passed by 63 votes to 47 with no abstentions; the second and third readings are expected to take place next month, after the legislation is returned to the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee. “We must make every effort so that after this vote it will be possible to continue negotiations to reach an agreed-upon outline that will take us out of this difficult period, into a period of agreed-upon constitutional reform. It is not a done deal because the first reading passed; it still needs a second and third reading,” Herzog said in a speech at a conference hosted by the Yedioth Ahronoth daily newspaper and Ynet news site.