Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is attempting to convince Justice Minister Yariv Levin to show flexibility to allow negotiations to held under the auspices of President Isaac Herzog on Levin’s judicial reforms, Channel 13 News reported.
Netanyahu is reportedly seeking flexibility on the composition of the judicial selection committee.
Under the current system, Israeli Supreme Court justices are chosen by a nine-member committee. The committee includes two sitting Supreme Court justices, two members of the Israel Bar Association, and four elected officials in the form of two ministers, and two MKs. Under this system, the judicial branch has power over who is selected to the court, unlike the system in the US, where the President selects Supreme Court justices and the Senate confirms the selection.
Under Justice Yariv Levin’s proposed reforms, the committee’s composition would be changed to grant the Knesset greater sway in the selection of judges, with the Bar Association members replaced with two additional elected officials, who will be determined by the Justice Minister.
Yesh Atid and National Unity party leaders Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz issued a joint statement earlier today (Monday) reiterating their refusal to enter into negotiations on the judicial reforms unless the legislation on the reforms is frozen.
Lapid and Gantz said: “Our every attempt to reach out for the unity of Israel has been met with rejection and refusal. Israel stands at the threshold of a national emergency, and Netanyahu refuses to step on the brakes.”
“We greatly respect and appreciate the efforts of the President to reach broad talks and agreements. But in order to hold honest and effective negotiations that will lead to the preservation of Israeli democracy and the unity of the people, Netanyahu must announce a complete, comprehensive and real halt to the legislative process. All attempts at shortcuts fly in the face of real dialogue,” they added.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich accused the two of “humiliating” President Isaac Herzog after the President called again for both sides to come together for a negotiated agreement on the judicial reforms.
“Lapid and Gantz are humiliating the president and proving again that they have no interest in dialogue or compromise,” Smotrich tweeted.

President Herzog met earlier today with 100 mayors and heads of local councils. During the meeting, he said that “we are closer than ever to the possibility of an agreed outline” on the judicial reforms,
He explained: “There are agreements behind the scenes on most things. They make sense and they are reasonable. On the other hand, it depends on our national leadership, the leaders of both the coalition and the opposition, on whether they will succeed in rising to the magnitude of the moment in recognition of the terrible alternative that is lurking – on whether they will put the country and its citizens above everything else.”
The President added that “the outline that I am working to formulate provides answers to those on both sides of the debate. It lays down important and historical constitutional foundations, and anchors a healthy balance between the branches of government. It preserves democracy and human rights as well as the independence of the judicial system. It also protects minorities and will preserve the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state based on the principles of the Declaration of Independence.