Opposition leaders say they will boycott final votes on judicial overhaul

A joint statement from most of the opposition parties say that they will boycott final votes in the Knesset on the government’s judicial overhaul.

The Arab parties did not attend the meeting of Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid, Benny Gantz’s National Unity, Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beyteinu and Merav Michaeli’s Labor party.

A joint statement said that at a meeting to coordinate strategy on opposing the government’s legislative blitz, it was decided that there could be no dialogue until the process was halted.

“The unity of the people begins with real dialogue and as long as there is no halt to legislation, talks are just a deception,” the statement says.

“When the president’s outline is presented, we will be happy to address his proposal and we appreciate his efforts to reach negotiations,” the statement said.

“We will do everything to prevent the passing of the laws, but if God forbid we get to a third reading — we will be a part of this and boycott the vote in the plenary,” they say.

They urge the government to abandon “this crazy collection of laws” and instead work with them to craft a “comprehensive and balanced constitutional arrangement.”