Netanyahu urges talks while Lapid accuses him of ‘lies and spin’

Addressing the public amid increasingly rancorous political divisions, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday said he was open to talks on his government’s efforts to radically restructure the judicial system, while blaming his rivals for the lack of negotiations – but signalled at the same time that the coalition would continue with its legislative push, despite President Isaac Herzog calling for the process to be temporarily halted.

The premier said he is aware of worries over the plan to overhaul the judiciary, adding he fully backs negotiations “to reach agreements or at least minimise the disagreements between us”.

This, he argued, “demands leadership and national responsibility”, which he accused the opposition of not demonstrating.

He said talks should be held “without preconditions, without excuses”.

Opposition leaders have said the coalition’s legislative blitz must be paused for talks to be held – a position backed by Herzog – while the coalition has dismissed this as an illegitimate precondition.

Firing back at Netanyahu, opposition leader Yair Lapid accused him of “lies and spin”, saying the opposition has sought “for long weeks to hold discussions” with the coalition.

“The President pled with them to stop the legislation and hold talks, the Americans asked them to stop the legislation and hold talks, and the entire people of Israel are asking the government to prevent a terrible rupture in the people, to stop this frenzy,” Lapid said in a statement.

The back-and-forth came after the Knesset passed the first reading of a bill that makes up a significant part of the controversial judicial overhaul. The legislation, passed early on Tuesday, aims to amend the Basic Law: the judiciary to cement government control over judicial appointments and revoke the High Court’s ability to review Basic Laws.

Speaking earlier on Tuesday, Herzog – who last week presented a compromise proposal – said there was a feeling of “sorrow” after the vote and that the burden lies with the government to reach out and negotiate with the opposition.

He also said he was disappointed that his calls to negotiate were not heeded, but said that talks were still urgently required.

“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,” Herzog said.

“It is not a done deal because the first reading passed; it still needs a second and third reading,” Herzog said in an address to the People of the Country conference, hosted by the Yedioth Ahronoth daily and Ynet news site.

“There is extra responsibility on those who are advancing the legislation,” he said. “Prove that generosity wins, and find a way to bring the opposition to negotiations.”

Speaking after Herzog, Justice Minister Yariv Levin appeared to dismiss his call.

“The masses of people have waited decades for this to occur, for them it is a morning of hope. We will press on with determination to complete the reforms,” he said.

Meanwhile, Yesh Atid lawmakers are considering a proposal for the entire Knesset opposition to collectively resign from parliament to protest against the government’s judicial overhaul proposal, two lawmakers told Hebrew media on Tuesday. TIMES OF ISRAEL