Senior figures in the coalition estimate that the Prime Minister is no longer backing the judicial reform, partly due to US pressure.

TV report: Senior figures in the coalition estimate that the Prime Minister is no longer backing the judicial reform, partly due to US pressure.

Israel National News     May 5, 2023, 11:41 PM (GMT+3)

Netanyahu and LevinYonatan Sindel/Flash 90

Kan reports that senior officials in the coalition estimate that the judicial reform will no longer be promoted by the Prime Minister. According to the officials, what was decisive for Netanyahu was the political pressure from the White House, including his lack of invitation to Washington.

Despite this, Justice Minister Yariv Levin (Likud) does not intend to resign from his post. In conversations with political parties, Levin said that if there is no change in the composition of the committee for the appointment of judges, in the composition of the judges of the Supreme Court, and in the case of waiving the abolition of the seniority system – it is better to shelve the reform than to compromise, partly because the political status of the negotiations in the President’s Residence will have been compromised as well.

In the meantime, the negotiation regarding the reform will resume on Tuesday. Yesh Atid is demanding to discuss first of all the committee for the selection of judges.

An official in the coalition said that, “We can compromise more regarding the selection of judges if we first agree on other issues.” He rejected another demand from Yesh Atid to deal with the recruitment law as part of the negotiations. “If the President’s House allows discussion of this – we will leave the talks.”

It was reported from the President’s House that, “The team has finished the first stage of discussions based on the issues that appeared in the People’s Outline. The continuation of the process will be subject to the agreements between all the parties in the room, without limits or preconditions.”