JNS
There had been speculation that Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant might halt the process in a nationwide speech on Thursday night, but in the end, he did not join the prime minister.
In a 10-minute speech to the nation that began around 8:40 p.m. local time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said judicial reform will continue and that there will be a vote next week before the Knesset.
Speaking in Hebrew, Netanyahu called for unity. “I say this evening that I believe that it is possible to bring reform that provides an answer to both sides—reform that will return the appropriate balance between the authorities,” he said. “Because we have not come to run over and to trample. We come to balance and to fix.”
“Those who oppose the reform are not traitors, and those who support it are not fascists,” he added.
There was speculation that Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant would call for an immediate halt to the reform package, which has divided the country. After reportedly being summoned to Netanyahu’s office, Gallant did not join the prime minister at the podium.
The prime minister rebuffed claims that the reforms are fascistic. “This is not the end of democracy. This is the strengthening of democracy,” he said. To make his point, he quoted Alan Dershowitz, professor emeritus at Harvard Law School, who is not in favor of all the reforms.
“If all of these reforms were enacted—and I oppose most, but not all of them—it would turn Israel into, God forbid, Canada or New Zealand or Australia, or many European countries. It would not turn it into Poland. It would not turn it into an autocratic country,” said Dershowitz.
“The United States is not a democracy? New Zealand is not a democracy? Canada is not a democracy?” he asked rhetorically.
Netanyahu allowed that those who oppose the reforms have legitimate concerns and said he will assume a more active role in the negotiations to protect everyone’s rights.
