Sides reject possible judicial deal

(Times of Israel) – Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle were quick to pour cold water on the chances for a compromise agreement on legislation to overhaul the judiciary this week after a report that the coalition and opposition had come to understandings on the contentious issue.

Both anti-government protest leaders and far-right politicians rejected any possible deal, while parties closer to the centre of the political spectrum stayed quiet or issued laconic denials.

President Isaac Herzog’s office confirmed that he was hosting indirect talks aimed at finding common ground, but denied the Channel 12 news report that agreements had been reached.

A source in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office also confirmed to The Times of Israel that talks were being held, some two months after a first attempt at reaching a compromise on the overhaul crumbled amid disagreements over the make-up of a key panel that nominates judges to the Supreme Court and other benches.

According to the reported framework agreement, the government would advance a “softer” version of the recently passed law voiding the reasonableness standard for cabinet and ministerial decisions; agree to an 18-month freeze on efforts to reshape the Judicial Selection Committee, which chooses judges; and back a reform requiring at least seven of the nine members of the panel to agree to any appointments, including that of the Supreme Court president.

Netanyahu’s ruling Likud party said only “there has been no agreement” on any compromise, without closing the door on one being reached.

However, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, a key coalition ally who heads the ultra-nationalist Otzma Yehudit party, posted on X that his six MKs “will vote against any surrender which comes up for a vote”.

The far-right Religious Zionism party, which is allied with Netanyahu, also said it was unwilling to consider “a surrender by the majority to an extreme minority willing to burn everything down”, though it claimed it was always up for talks and compromise.

National Unity party leader Benny Gantz said his opposition party would agree in principle to have a newly floated compromise proposal on judicial legislation serve as a basis for negotiations with the coalition, stressing he was committed to reaching an agreement but dismissing Netanyahu’s latest call for face-to-face talks as “spin”.

Addressing a gathering of National Unity activists in a prime-time televised address, Gantz said he had recently been filled in by Herzog about the proposal, and that he was assured it was accepted by the Prime Minister, but that he does not believe that Netanyahu can deliver on such a deal – noting the public opposition by the coalition hardliners.

“What is clear is that Israel is ruled by an extreme minority government,” Gantz said.

Tens of thousands of Israelis protested throughout the country on Saturday against the coalition’s judicial overhaul legislation for a 35th straight week, under the banner of “no dictatorship in our schools” as children begin the new school year.

Over 100,000 people were gathered at the main rally in Tel Aviv, according to Channel 13 news, which cited data from the CrowdSolutions firm.

Organisers had vowed that the event would go ahead following the violent clashes in southern Tel Aviv earlier between Eritrean migrants supporting and opposing the government in Asmara.

Anti-overhaul protesters also clashed with police on Monday evening outside a hotel in Ra’anana, where a Likud party gathering was being held. Protesters gathered outside the location and honked horns and waved flags, as activists also congregated on nearby balconies.

Meanwhile, National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi has revealed that demonstrations against the contentious judicial overhaul plans were key in halting the package of radical legislative changes that was initially proposed.

A promotional clip for the Channel 12 interview made it appear that Hanegbi was pleased that the rallies prevented activists’ fears of a “dictatorship” from being realised – comments that he later called “distorted”.

Hanegbi said he was “very surprised” by the public response to the government’s judicial shake-up proposals.

On Sunday, Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara called for the High Court of Justice to strike down a government law limiting judicial review, an unprecedented step for the court, which has so far baulked at revoking amendments to the country’s quasi-constitutional Basic Laws.

In her response to the petitions against the legislation, the Attorney-General asserted that the ability of the courts to use the “reasonableness” standard to evaluate government and ministerial actions and decisions was a critical component of Israel’s democracy and its system of checks and balances.

Baharav-Miara also insisted that Justice Minister Yariv Levin is obliged to convene the Judicial Selection Committee owing to the large number of empty seats on court benches around the country and his duty to exercise the authorities of his office.

Her opposition to the government’s position is the latest in a series of high-profile and highly consequential cases in which she has come out against key government policies that would radically change Israel’s legal and judicial systems, casting a shadow over her continued tenure.