Otzma Yehudit agrees to further pause on bill granting troops immunity

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s far-right Otzma Yehudit announces it has agreed to further shelve a controversial proposal to grant Israeli security forces immunity from prosecution, following warnings the measure could expose troops to foreign prosecution and have a severely negative impact on the relations between law enforcement and the public.

In a statement, Otzma Yehudit says it reached a deal with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party to not advance the bill next week and instead have all coalition parties bring in an expert to present a legal opinion on the matter.

Additionally, Otzma Yehudit will put forward a bill to set a minimum sentence of three years for those found guilty of running criminal protection rackets, with a maximum sentence of 10 years.