Coalition rails at National Unity MK for insisting government mustn’t choose justices

The coalition blasts a negotiator for an opposition party in fledgling compromise talks on the government’s judicial overhaul plan, accusing him of seeking to “blow up the talks and set the country on fire.”

The backlash against National Unity MK Chili Tropper, a member of his party’s negotiation team, comes after he said the opposition would insist in the talks that no agreed formula for legal reform will grant the coalition the exclusive right to appoint judges to the country’s top court.

In additional remarks, Tropper threatened to bolt the negotiations if the coalition “scams” him and continues the legislative process, while saying coalition MKs  had “made every possible mistake, headed full speed into this issue and collided with a wall.”

Members of the coalition react furiously.

“The remarks deserve every condemnation,” says Justice Minister Yariv Levin in a statement. “It turns out that under the conciliatory facade hides something completely different. MK Tropper, with blunt language, declares ahead of time that for National Unity, these aren’t substantive negotiations, but rather the presentation of a demand aimed at blowing up the talks and setting the country on fire.

“I urge all opposition representatives to come to the negotiation table with a sense of responsibility and a genuine will to reach agreements that respect the huge portion of the public that yearns for a meaningful reform in the justice system,” Levin adds.

Religious Zionism MK Zvi Sukkot tweets that Tropper is “trying to blow up the negotiations” and “forgetting that he’s in the opposition.” His party colleague MK Ohad Tal says “the oppositional minority thinks it is running the country,” adding: “Prove your seriousness, stop issuing ultimatums or casting blame ahead of time.”