Protesters to target judicial overhaul talks at President’s Residence

Carrie Keller-Lynn is a former political and legal correspondent for The Times of Israel

People attend a protest against the planned judicial overhaul in Tel Aviv, on June 3, 2023. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
People attend a protest against the planned judicial overhaul in Tel Aviv, on June 3, 2023. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

Announcing their plans for a Friday protest outside of the President’s Residence, representatives for the protest movement against the coalition’s judicial upheaval “strongly denounce” reports of an emerging compromise and slam opposition leaders for “failing to uphold the principles and values for which we have tirelessly fought.”

“If the reports are indeed true, this so-called compromise agreement amounts to nothing more than a surrender that compromises the very essence of Israeli democracy in exchange for empty promises from [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu. This is an unacceptable betrayal of the trust and aspirations of the millions who have actively voiced their concerns,” a statement from the movement reads.

“The proposed agreement reflects Netanyahu’s calculated strategy of eroding the judicial review process and undermining the role of the attorney general, thereby jeopardizing the foundations of our democracy. It is alarming that Netanyahu’s own coalition partners have openly labeled him a liar, and yet, Opposition Leader [Yair] Lapid and MK [Benny] Gantz seem willing to trust him,” the statement continues.

Hebrew media reports that coalition and opposition negotiators are inching closer to signing understandings about principles undergirding their continued talks, as well as coming to agreements on curtailing judicial review over the “reasonableness” of government decisions and enabling ministers to choose their own legal representatives in court.

Opposition sources continue to deny a looming agreement, saying instead that they would not sign on to any deal that does not provide guarantees for ending the rest of the coalition’s plan to weaken judicial checks on political power.

Most Popular
If you’d like to comment, join
The Times of Israel Community.
Join The Times of Israel Community
Commenting is available for paying members of The Times of Israel Community only. Please join our Community to comment and enjoy other Community benefits.
Please use the following structure: example@domain.com
Confirm Mail
Thank you! Now check your email
You are now a member of The Times of Israel Community! We sent you an email with a login link to . Once you're set up, you can start enjoying Community benefits and commenting.