Israeli president calls for inter-party dialogue on judicial overhaul plans

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced a delay to the judicial reform plans amid continued protests throughout the country.

President Isaac Herzog proposed a compromise plan on the judicial reform earlier this month, but the government under Prime Minister Netanyahu rejected it.
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President Isaac Herzog proposed a compromise plan on the judicial reform earlier this month, but the government under Prime Minister Netanyahu rejected it.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the opposition to hold a dialogue to reach a compromise on controversial judicial overhaul.

Herzog urged Netanyahu and opposition leaders Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz to start an “immediate negotiation process” under the auspices of his office, Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported on Tuesday.

Sources in Herzog’s office confirmed that all parliamentary blocs will be invited to the dialogue.

Head of the Joint Arab List Ahmed Tibi and the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality headed by Ayman Odeh were not invited to the dialogue, KAN said.

For his part, the opposition Labor Party leader, Merav Michaeli, tweeted that “The coup d'etat laws must be finally and completely scrapped and shelved.”

On Monday, Netanyahu announced a temporary suspension of the controversial judicial reform plans, which triggered mass protests in Israel over the past 12 weeks.

While the opposition calls the plans a government power grab, Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, claims his plans would strengthen democracy and restore the balance between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

READ MORE: Ben-Gvir gets ‘national guard’ for consenting to delaying judicial reforms

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