(VOVWORLD) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday in a national address that he will temporarily suspend his controversial judicial reform, which has triggered weeks of protests.
 Mass protests in Israel against the government's judicial overhaul plan (Photo:Hazem Bader/AFP) |
Netanyahu said he is taking a timeout for dialogue to avoid civil war. He said he reached the decision after consulting members of his coalition.
National Security Minister and Otzma Yehudit Party chief Itamar Ben-Gvir said he agrees that Netanyahu should delay until the Knesset —Israel’s parliament — reconvenes for its summer session on April 30. Netanyahu's coalition government survived two no-confidence votes called for by the opposition to protest the judicial overhaul plan.
The votes took place as 600,000 people protested across the country Sunday night, after Netanyahu fired his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, who wanted to suspend the government's judicial overhaul.
Proponents of the plan said changes are needed to better balance the branches of government and combat a perceived left wing bias in court’s ruling.