Herzog says sides closer than ever to judicial compromise

President Isaac Herzog says politicians have made significant progress toward a compromise framework for judicial reform, potentially creating a breakthrough on an issue that has polarized Israeli society over the past two months.

“We are closer than ever to the possibility of an agreed-upon framework,” Herzog says during an “emergency meeting” his office hosted to seek the support of nearly 100 Israeli mayors and local authority leaders in pushing for political compromise.

“There are behind-the-scenes agreements on most things. They make sense and they are reasonable,” he adds, while cautioning that failure to adjust the reform threatens Israeli democracy.

Providing only superficial details of the developing framework, Herzog says it would provide solutions “for both sides” of the political debate.

Among the principles Herzog said that plan included are: diversity of judiciary powers; creating “constitutional foundations,” important because Israel lacks a formal constitution; preserving the independence of the courts; protecting human rights; and maintaining Israel as “a Jewish and democratic state, based on the principles of the Declaration of Independence.”

“The framework I am working to put together… enshrines a healthy balance between authorities, preserves democracy and human rights at all costs,” he says.