Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday evening addressed the passing into law of a bill to curb judicial oversight of the government and said he was open to dialogue on further legislation until November.
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"We have passed the amendment to the standard of reasonableness so that the elected government can lead policy as mandated by the majority of the country's citizens," said Netanyahu, rebuking the opposition. "We agreed to suspend the legislation, halted it for three whole months. We agreed to significant changes to the original policy. None of our compromise proposals were accepted. Not even once."
"Even today in the Knesset, until the very last vote, we tried to reach agreements, but the other side refused to budge. And I remind you that, until recently, senior members of the opposition supported amending the reasonableness standard. Others even agreed to abolish it entirely," he said.
"Nevertheless, we will continue to strive for dialogue and reaching consensus. We’re not giving up on the chance to achieve broad consensus, and I tell you it is possible," Netanyahu added.
"In the coming days, the coalition will approach the opposition with the aim of holding discussions between us. We are ready to discuss everything immediately and do so during the summer recess, reaching a comprehensive agreement on all matters. If necessary, we’re willing to extend talks until the end of November," he said. "There’s enough time to reach an agreement on everything. It is imperative that neither side seize control of the judiciary. That will not happen under our watch."
National Unity Party Chairman Benny Gantz said in a statement to the media just minutes before Netanyahu's nationally televised address to the nation that: "Everything approved here will be canceled and erased from the law books, sooner or later," and vowed to reverse the legislation if put in power.
Gantz charged that the "majority in the Knesset that wants compromise was defeated by extreme lawmakers who decided to change our identity, who want to take us to an abyss of hatred, to divide us and to turn us on each other.”
He said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "preferred the political needs of Ben-Gvir and the whims of Levin over Israel’s political diplomacy and its security." He also called on reservists to continue their service with the Israel Defense Forces.
“Anyone who saw the defense minister beg the justice minister to compromise understands how badly Israel now needs a responsible adult," Gantz, whose centrist party has been leading public opinion polls in recent months, said. "This is not how you run a country.”