Israeli president, premier discuss ways to reach compromise on judicial reform plan

By Enes Canli

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israeli President Isaac Herzog met Sunday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and discussed ways to reach a compromise on the government's judicial overhaul plan.

Herzog told Netanyahu that “this is a time of emergency” and an agreement must be reached, the Israeli Presidency said in a statement.

Herzog was also scheduled to meet later Sunday with opposition leader Yair Lapid.

Protests against the plan continued across the country ahead of a key vote Monday. Demonstrators gathered in Sacher Park, located near the Israeli Assembly in West Jerusalem.

Tens of thousands of people have continued to stage demonstrations in front of the assembly against Netanyahu’s judicial reform plan.

As part of the reform, the government announced that a bill to abolish the Supreme Court's oversight of the government would be brought to the Knesset (parliament) for a second and third vote on July 24.

Thousands of Israelis including war pilots, submarine officers and other elite units who oppose the judicial reform have decided to resign from voluntary reserve service.

Israeli media reported that Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was working to postpone the bill to abolish the Supreme Court's oversight of the government in response to the reactions from reserve soldiers.

Numerous prominent figures in Israeli politics, the military, security, the economy and the judiciary have publicly expressed their opposition to the government's judicial reform.

A grassroots Israeli protest movement has been rallying against the plan for the past seven months.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar