Senior Likud officials and their coalition partners said Monday that they would continue the judicial reform process despite President Isaac Herzog’s call Sunday for a pause in the Knesset committee discussions and votes so that the sides could negotiate a compromise.
While acknowledging that “there are positive elements” in the president’s proposal, Justice Minister Yariv Levin said that talks between the Opposition and coalition “should not be linked to the progress of the legislative procedures” so that they do not “become a means of foot-dragging to delay and prevent a substantial and significant reform in the judicial system.”
MK Simcha Rothman said he “welcomes the president’s initiative to hold real talks” and would be “happy to sit, without any delay, through the mediation of the president and wherever he chooses, with any representative of the opposition who wishes to do so” – but without any “preconditions,” such as delaying the legislative process.
Rothman did not budge from his stand that the details of the laws themselves had to be thrashed out in the Knesset, “the representative of the people,” because that is the only place where legislating can and should take place, he said, referencing former Supreme Court Justice and Israel Prize winner Moshe Zilberg.
All the opposition can do is respond with riots, screaming and shouting matches. That speaks volumes about what kind of changes they would like to see in the judicial reforms. To date, we have not heard any suggestions they wish to see. Have you?