Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a weekly cabinet meeting on March 19, 2023 at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem. PHOTO AP JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday a softening of his hard-right government's judicial overhaul plan, an apparent concession to more than two months of unprecedented nationwide protests and misgivings voiced by Western allies.
Netanyahu had looked poised to ratify the package of reforms by the Knesset's April 2 recess, despite the fact that he had a parliamentary majority. But most would be shelved until it reconvenes on April 30, he and religious-nationalist coalition allies said.
The legislation slated to be ratified in the next two weeks would shake up Israel's method of selecting judges - an issue that has been the focus of the reform controversy, with critics accusing Netanyahu of trying to curb the independence of the courts.
He insists that his goal is balance among the branches of government.
Monday's coalition statement used more circumspect language than in the original bill introduced on Jan 4, but said it would continue to check the power of judges on the selection panel to use what it deemed an automatic veto over nominations to the bench.
The amendments made to the bill in a Knesset review session on Sunday, whereby the selection panel would be expanded from 9 to 11 members as originally planned but with a make-up that gives the government less potential clout, the statement said.
Previously, the bill envisaged a panel of three cabinet ministers, two coalition lawmakers and two public figures chosen by the government -- spelling a maximum 7 -- 4 vote majority.
The bill is amended and envisions a panel consisting of three cabinet ministers, three coalition lawmakers, three judges and two opposition lawmakers. That could lead to a smaller, more precarious 6 -- 5 majority for the government.
The amended bill stipulates that no more than two Supreme Court justices can be appointed by regular panel voting in a given Knesset session. Any appointments beyond that would have to be approved by a majority vote, including at least one judge and one opposition lawmaker among the selection panel members.
Netanyahu has called for a rethink of the political opposition, which has pledged to boycott ratification votes in the Knesset and encourage street demonstrations that have reached into the ranks of the Israeli military, which is usually above politics.
The coalition statement said that they were extending a hand to anyone who cares about national unity and the desire to reach an agreement.