Israeli president calls for inter-party dialogue on judicial overhaul

By Abdel Raouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israeli President Isaac Herzog has called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the opposition to hold a dialogue to reach a compromise on controversial judicial overhaul.

Herzog urged Netanyahu and opposition leaders Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz to start an “immediate negotiation process” under the auspices of his office, Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported.

Sources in Herzog’s office confirmed that all parliamentary blocs will be invited to the dialogue.

Head of the Joint Arab List Ahmed Tibi and the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality headed by Ayman Odeh were not invited to the dialogue, KAN said.

For his part, the opposition Labor Party leader, Merav Michaeli, tweeted that “The coup d'état laws must be finally and completely scrapped and shelved.”

On Monday, Netanyahu announced a temporary suspension of the controversial judicial reform plans, which triggered mass protests in Israel over the past 12 weeks.

While the opposition calls the plans a government power grab, Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, claims his plans would strengthen democracy and restore the balance between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

*Ikram Kouachi contributed to this report.