Israel's Netanyahu backs down, pauses judicial overhaul in face of protests
Faced with tens of thousands of demonstrators across Israel enraged over his decision to fire Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that he is suspending the judicial reform plan.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu backed away on Monday evening from advancing the judicial overhaul plan that his government has been pushing for the past three months in the face of mounting protests in the country.
Netanyahu agreed with his far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir that the coalition will try to pass the judicial overhaul within a national agreement and after discussions with the opposition over the next three months. If no compromise is found, Netanyahu pledged to Ben-Gvir that they will pass the judicial overhaul anyway in the Knesset during the parliament’s summer session. The plan would strip power of Israel's High Court and the judiciary branch in favor of the politicians. Protests have consumed Israel over the judicial overhaul plan since December, with members of the army reservists joining the movement.
