MKs trade barbs after stormy session at Knesset panel to advance overhaul legislation

Government ministers and coalition MKs condemn the behavior of opposition MKs in the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee who protested wildly against the approval for passage to the Knesset plenum of the first part of the government’s judicial overhaul legislation.

“Dialogue is important and we will do everything to engage in it,” tweets Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

“But sadly, the opposition proves again and again that it it is not interested in dialogue, but rather violent and unacceptable belligerence. I congratulate my colleague, Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee chair MK Simcha Rothman, for not surrendering to violence and running the committee hearings with professionalism,” adds Smotrich.

Likud MK Danny Danon says in a similar vein that he supports “open dialogue” to reach compromise, but says opposition MKs “have behaved disgracefully” and that their actions cast doubt on their willingness to enter into such dialogue.

“I remind the members of the opposition – you lost the elections. Just like we managed to accept the judgment of the electorate in the expulsion from Gush Katif [the Israeli settlements in Gaza], so too you are expected to accept the democratic determination.”

Labor MK Gilad Kariv of the opposition denounces Rothman for praising President Isaac Herzog’s speech last night calling for compromise but rejecting his direct appeal to halt the overhaul and deliberate on the president’s proposals before approving the legislation for a first reading.

Kariv also accuses Rothman of failing to allow opposition MKs to speak before the votes on the legislation in committee, and of violating several procedural rules.

“Your behavior screams out one thing: ‘You [the opposition] don’t interest me’… There is one side who said from the outset that it is interested in dialogue and put no end of suggestions on the table, and another side that simply paid lip service to dialogue and behaved in a tyrannical manner.”