- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delayed his right-wing government's plans to reform the judiciary
- It is unclear whether Israel protests will cease as the judicial reform plan was just delayed and not canceled
- Another day of opposition protests spread across Israel
On Monday, numerous strikes, protests, and rising international pressure led Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to postpone his controversial plans to reform the country's judiciary.
On a monumental day for Israel, Netanyahu said he would defer voting on the remaining measures until after the Passover holiday in April "to provide time for a serious discussion." In a televised speech, Netanyahu stated that he is "aware of the tensions" and "listening to the people."
Netanyahu Delays Judicial Reform Voting Until Next Session
But, Netanyahu signaled that the respite would be brief. He emphasized that the reorganization was essential and criticized those who refused to train or serve in the military in protest of the proposed modifications. "Refusing is the destruction of our nation," he warned.
Following Netanyahu's declaration, Arnon Bar-David, the head of the Histadrut labor organization, declared that a national strike that swept the nation on Monday would now be canceled. Bar-David stated, "The nationwide strike ends immediately." But, he cautioned Netanyahu against reintroducing the bill, CNN reported.
Despite this, Netanyahu's decision was applauded by Israel's closest allies. The US views the postponement as "an opportunity to generate more time and space for compromise," according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
The Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, James Cleverly, lauded both the decision and his country's ties with Israel. "It is crucial that the common democratic norms that underpin this partnership be kept and a rigorous system of checks and balances is maintained," added Cleverly.
Concerns have been expressed, however, over the conditions of Netanyahu's coalition agreement. Earlier on Monday, the far-right Jewish Power party disclosed that the plan to delay the law would entail the establishment of a National Guard under the supervision of party head and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
In reaction to his declaration, the main Israeli labor organization canceled a statewide strike. Monday night in Tel Aviv, police deployed a water cannon against protesters who returned to the streets despite the strike being called off.
With Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement that he would delay critical judicial reforms until next month, several protest organizers assert that the demonstrations would continue in Israel.
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Israel Protests
According to The Independent, leaders of the demonstrations assert that protests will continue because the vote on the overhaul will only be delayed, not canceled. When Netanyahu's confidant, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, introduced the reform in January, Israel saw nearly three months of enormous protests.
The rapid organization of outrage after the removal of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, facilitated partly by the messaging service WhatsApp, was astonishing. In nearly an hour, tens of thousands of protesters stopped Tel Aviv's main highway, and tens of thousands more demonstrated in front of Netanyahu's house in Jerusalem.
Gallant was the first Cabinet minister to publicly urge for a delay in implementing the change. Gallant stated that moving on might harm Israel's military readiness since morale is low and troops threaten to skip duty.
In security-obsessed Israel, Gallant, a brusque retired general, is one of the most admired members of the new Government. By assaulting the guy in charge of national security, Netanyahu may have crossed a red line and, inadvertently, unified this severely fragmented nation by touching on national security, one of the few areas of the accord.
Demonstrators gathered again in front of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, transforming the streets around the building and the Supreme Court into a sea of blue-and-white Israeli flags and rainbow Pride banners. Many more attended large demonstrations in Tel Aviv, Haifa, and other cities, as per CBC.
Before announcing the delay, Netanyahu spent the day consulting with his advisors and coalition partners. Previously, several Likud party members stated they would back the prime minister if he listened to requests to postpone the judicial reform.
If no compromises are achieved over the holiday, Netanyahu has agreed to bring the measure up for a vote when parliament resumes its summer session on April 30.
In his speech, Netanyahu did not provide a deadline for reaching a deal. Still, he expressed optimism that the nation would heal and that Israelis would enjoy the impending Passover holiday.
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