The suspension of judicial reform in Israel gives more opportunities to reach a compromise, the United States welcomes this decision.
This was announced on Tuesday, March 28, by John Kirby, Coordinator for strategic Communications at the White House National Security Council.
“We believe that this suspension decision may give more time and opportunities to reach a compromise. And therefore, in this vein, we welcome him,” he said during a regular online briefing.
On the eve of March 27, it became known that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir agreed to postpone the adoption of the law on judicial reform at least until the summer. The Prime Minister also agreed that the formation of the civil National Guard, the creation of which Ben-Gvir is seeking, will be approved at the upcoming cabinet meeting.
Later that day, the chairman of the General Federation of Labor “Histadrut” Arnon Bar-David announced the termination of the general strike that began on the same day in the country.
The day before, on March 26, Netanyahu dismissed Defense Minister Yoav Galant. The reason was Galant’s proposal to temporarily suspend judicial reform in order to open a window for dialogue with the protesters. After the news of Galant’s resignation, thousands of people demonstrated. So, the protesters broke through the police cordons and gathered at the house of Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Protests have been going on in Israel since the beginning of the year. They are going against the new Netanyahu government and its judicial reform, which should give the Knesset (the legislative body of Israel) more control over the judicial system. The Knesset will have the power to overturn the Supreme Court’s decisions on laws and government decisions, as well as appoint its judges.