For the 18th consecutive week, protests against proposed judicial changes by the government continued into the evening on Saturday. The organizers of the protests urged the opposition to make a decision and either wrap up talks with the coalition or end them.
The organizers demanded that opposition leader Yair Lapid and MK Benny Gantz come together to make a decision in the coming week. If they fail to do so, negotiations must end. Former Israel Defence Forces chief of staff Benny Gantz said that if there is no progress toward a solution, he will reevaluate the negotiations.
At a protest in Netanya on Saturday, Gantz stated that their goal at the President’s Residence is not to be satisfied with talking. The National Unity party head is concerned that they cannot continue discussions while simultaneously discrediting the judges of the High Court of Justice and sending bullies into the streets.
At a protest in Rehovot, Yair Lapid expressed similar concerns. The alliance could not have discussions if the judges were being discredited, and bullies were on the streets. Lapid added that they would turn over every stone to reach a historic agreement that will accompany them for the next hundred years, but they will not let the coalition bide their time to save their government.
Activists appealed for a deal on the Judicial Selection Committee, which is the most divisive of the reform elements. Discussions on this issue are scheduled to resume on Tuesday. The Yesh Atid party reportedly planned to discuss the panel because reaching an agreement on the other issues would be simpler.
Tzipi Livni, a former Hatnuah leader now in charge of the protest movement, stated that opposition leaders could only reach an understanding with the coalition if they agreed to recognize the independence of judges.
KAN reported that Yesh Atid was attempting to move discussions over the Conscription Law inside the President’s Residence. According to the coalition agreement, the government must handle the haredi draft before enacting a budget as the existing statute is slated to expire on July 31.
According to reports, the government would ask for a five-month postponement on the bill.
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