Herzog: I am fearful for the fate of this nation, but hope a solution can be found

President Isaac Herzog says he is fearful for the fate of the country after a day in which police used force to protest against the government’s judicial overhaul plans, but still believes the crisis could be an opportunity.

“The State of Israel, Israeli society, all of us — are in a difficult hour of an internal, deep, and serious crisis that threatens us all,” Herzog says speaking at the graduation of Navy cadets in Haifa.

“I hear your voice, my brothers and sisters, the voices of patriotic Israeli citizens who are fearful for Israeli democracy. I see the protests, the anxiety and the fear that comes from the depths of your hearts — a fear that I also expressed regarding the legislation as it is being presented now. I feel very well the depth of pain, and the depth of concern for the fate of the country,” Herzog says.

However, Herzog says he still believes that this moment can be transformed into a positive one and that agreements can be reached to ensure an equitable constitution for the country.

“We may plunge into a terrible abyss, but on the other hand, we can reach a solution with broad agreement. I will not let our State of Israel — of all of us — reach the point of no return, I will not let this historical disaster happen,” he says.

“I believe with all my heart that it is possible to turn this moment of crisis into a defining constitutional moment. A moment in which our democracy, the principles of the Declaration of Independence, the supremacy of the law, human rights, and the checks and balances between the authorities will be preserved for generations,” he says.