Lapid, Gantz say overhaul talks on pause until 2nd member of judicial panel chosen

Opposition leader Yair Lapid cheers the selection of his Yesh Atid party’s MK Karine Elharrar to the Judicial Selection Committee.

While hailing this “good news,” he laments that the panel will not be able to meet until a second member if chosen after Likud MK Tally Gotliv was voted down as a candidate.

Gotliv had refused to pull her candidacy after all other coalition lawmakers did so as part of an effort by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to force a fresh vote for the panel’s representatives.

“Once Netanyahu was a fraud and strong. Today he’s a fraud and weak,” Lapid charges during a joint appearance with National Unity chief Benny Gantz.

Lapid adds: “Without a committee, there are no talks.”

Speaking after Lapid, Gantz says “there is no reason” to continue the judicial talks until another committee member is selected.

“What happened today is that the prime minister decided to go against the country,” Gantz says. “He tried and failed.”

He also hails the unknown coalition figures who voted for Elharrar, before tearing into Netanyahu.

“Netanyahu surrendered to extremists,” he says, adding the premier’s conduct “raises a major question mark about his judgement in critical matters.”