Netanyahu: We'll change the Judicial Selection Committee, and that's it

In interview, prime minister says next step for judicial reform is to change the composition of the committee that elects judges and 'That's basically what's left'; says Israel will come out 'stable, successful, and democratic - in my view, more democratic'

Moran Azulay|

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Knesset

Israel

Judicial reform

Judicial overhaul

Benjamin Netanyahu

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the only issue that's left on the table as part of the planned judicial reform is to change the Judicial Selection Committee.
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"I've stopped the judicial legislation for three months seeking consensus from the other side. Unfortunately, not getting it. Then brought in a relatively minor part of the reform and passed it. I'm still going to give it several months to try to get another consensus. It would probably be about the composition of the committee that elects judges,"  Netanyahu said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. "That's basically what's left."  
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he has been seeking consensus on judicial reform
(Photo: Amit Shabi)
"I don't think we should move from one extreme where we have perhaps the most activist judicial court on the planet to get to a point where the legislature or Knesset can just knock out any decision that the court makes. There has to be a balance. That's what we're trying to restore. I'm absolutely sure that Israel will come out stable, successful and democratic – in my view, more democratic," Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu said he believes the legislation won't tear the country apart, or lead to a civil war. "I think right now what you're seeing is the natural conflict between two opposing views that have not yet meshed, but they will mesh," he said. 
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Former Prime Minister and Opposition Leader Yair Lapid 
(Photo: Avigail Uzi)
Former Prime Minister and current Opposition Leader Yair Lapid said in response that "Netanyahu continues his journey of falsehoods on the global stage. Saying 'we'll make a change in the committee that elects judges and then we'll stop,' is akin to saying "we're wiping out Israeli democracy entirely, dismantling the military, wrecking the economy, and then we'll stop."
Lapid's Yesh Atid party also responded to the prime minister's interview. "We recommend that Netanyahu refrain from lying in English or Hebrew. He lacks broad consensus, even within the Likud," the party said in a statement. 
PRIME MINISTER SAYS REFORM TO STOP AFTER  ‘JUDGES SELECTION’ REFORM