Netanyahu blames ‘biased’ media for stirring up anger over judicial overhaul

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blames “leftist” and “biased” media for drumming up anger against his government’s plan to overhaul Israel’s judiciary and further entrench political power.

“We are witnessing an unprecedented attack by biased media channels against the government, fully mobilized to serve opponents of the reform,” the premier says at the start of his Likud party’s Knesset faction meeting.

Netanyahu accuses the media of turning reserve soldiers who refuse to serve in the military in protest against the judicial reforms into “heroes” and road-blocking demonstrators into “freedom fighters,” but in contrast treated the previous government, stacked with his political rivals, with “kid gloves.”

Echoing remarks he made before his Sunday cabinet meeting, Netanyahu says that a proper democracy is one in which the “elected government is responsible for the army, the police, law and order,” presumably in contrast to being constrained by the judiciary.

Despite his coalition continuing to charge forward with the reform, with one of its central provisions set to come for its first Knesset reading today, Netanyahu calls for dialogue on the controversial reforms.

“The right thing to do is to talk, to try to reach agreements. It’s still not too late and I’m still not giving it up,” he adds.