Live UpdateFrom the Liveblog of Thursday, March 23, 2023

Sa’ar says Netanyahu’s speech a ‘missed opportunity’ to heal rift in Israeli society

By ToI Staff 23 March 2023, 10:43 pm 1 Edit

National Unity’s Gideon Sa’ar says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech tonight “managed to disappoint even those who had no expectations of him.”

Sa’ar, once a Likud stalwart, says the premier not only announced that he would move ahead with legislation that will bring judicial appointments under political control, he also effectively declared that he would trample a 2020 conflict of interest agreement that bars him from directly dealing with the government’s radical plans to overhaul the legal system, as it could affect the outcome of his ongoing corruption trial down the line.

He calls the premier’s speech “another missed opportunity that will widen the rift in the nation,” and adds that the only answer is to carry on protesting.