Netanyahu suspends judicial reform, protests to rage on

Prime Minister Netanyahu Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday evening that he was temporarily freezing the bill that would alter the makeup of the Judicial Appointments Committee and was willing to give a "real opportunity to real dialogue" over the government's judicial reforms, which have thrown the country into turmoil and unprecedented civil unrest.

The statement came after hours of tense negotiations as National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatened to quit the government if the legislation did not proceed on schedule, and as tens of thousands of judicial reform opponents protested outside the Knesset. Netanyahu ended up ensuring Ben-Gvir's approval after pledging that the cabinet in its coming meeting on Sunday would approve the transfer of Israel's National Guard to Ben-Gvir's ministry.

Netanyahu said that either way, his government would bring a reform that will "return the balance that was lost between the [government] branches," while "safeguarding and even strengthening individual rights."

The prime minister criticized an "extreme" minority amongst the opponents of the reforms, likening them to the mother who is willing to sacrifice her child in the well-known biblical story of Solomon's Trial. Refusal to deploy for reserve duty signals "the end of our country," and those who support this, or who call for anarchy and violence, are willing to tear the country apart, Netanyahu said.

The prime minister added that the country was on a "dangerous path," and that he would not allow it to descend into civil war.

Thousands of protesters in favor of the judicial reform gathered next to the Supreme Court in Jerusalem on Monday evening, with signs reading "leftist traitors," "[Meir] Kahana was right," "I am a second class citizen" and "they're stealing the election from us."

Right-wing groups including Regavim, Im Tirzu, Ad Kan, Bezalmo and Torat Lehima, organized the protest in response to the protest against the judicial reform and the coalition held in front of the Knesset earlier in the day. The extremist La Familia group also took part in the protest.

Advertisements for the protest published online stated that the Right is in an "emergency situation," warning that "they will not steal the elections from us."

The Histadrut Labor Federation, Israel's primary worker's union, announced on Monday evening that the planned strikes and closures were canceled in light of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement that he would temporarily pause judicial reform legislation.

 United States President Joe Biden has shared his concerns about the situation in Israel directly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid protests over a planned judicial overhaul, the White House said on Monday.

White House spokesman John Kirby said Biden has been "very forthright" with Netanyhu.

"The reform will pass," tweeted National Security Minister Itamaar Ben-Gvir on Monday night. "The National Guard will be established. The budget I requested for the National Security Ministry will be passed in its entirety."

הרפורמה תעבור. המשמר הלאומי יוקם. התקציב שדרשתי למשרד לביטחון לאומי יעבור במלואו.

אף אחד לא יפחיד אותנו. אף
אחד לא יצליח לשנות את הכרעת העם.

חזרו אחרי: ד-מו-קר-טיה!

— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) March 27, 2023

Halting the government's planned judicial overhaul would be a mistake, Religious Zionist Party MK Simcha Rothman said after an Otzma Yehudit statement said passing the legislation would be delayed to the Knesset's summer session.

The government will approve at its next meeting a decision to form a National Guard and subjugate it to National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, in exchange for Ben-Gvir's party, Otzma Yehudit, promising not to leave the government over Netanyahu's intention to postpone the legislation of the first judicial reform bill.

Ben-Gvir on Monday reportedly threatened to quit the government if Netanyahu decided to freeze the legislation until after the Knesset recess between April 2-30. The coalition announced last week that the first bill, which would give the coalition a majority in Israel's Judicial Appointments Committee, would pass before the Knesset recesses.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to postpone the judicial reform legislation to the summer, Otzma Yehudit announced in a statement released on Monday.

"Jewish Dems are deeply concerned about the firing of Israeli Defense Minister [Yoav] Gallant," wrote the Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA) on Twitter on Monday afternoon, "and the plan to move forward with legislation undermining the power of Israel's judiciary."

Jewish Dems are deeply concerned about the firing of Israeli Defense Minister Gallant & the plan to move forward with legislation undermining the power of Israel's judiciary.

We stand with the hundreds of thousands of Israelis protesting nationwide in defense of democracy. https://t.co/vySLGvkznf

— Jewish Dems (@USJewishDems) March 27, 2023