Negotiations for a compromise and the exchange of accusations: If there is no last-minute change, the Knesset plenum is expected to convene today for a dramatic vote on the second and third readings on reducing the grounds of reasonableness, the first part of the legal reform. As of this writing, the coalition and opposition have been in talks to reach an agreement on the proposal and on the continuation of the legislation.
Against the backdrop of the reservists' petitions, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to speak today with IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, after their conversation was postponed. Yesterday, Gantz spoke with the IDF chief of staff, and noted at the end of the conversation that the security situation is worrisome. At the same time, Lapid spoke with Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar.
Meanwhile, negotiations are taking place through several channels. The most serious track is the negotiations with President Isaac Herzog, who came around with a document of principles for compromise. The president's team and Herzog himself held talks with Netanyahu and his staff, including Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs, Minister Ron Dermer and attorney Michael Ravello. At the same time, Herzog met with Lapid and Gantz, and his people maintained contact with the Histadrut. The negotiations deal with a proposal that includes softening the reduction of the reasonableness grounds, so that it will not be canceled sweepingly on ministerial decisions, but will be reduced from the current proposal, alongside agreement on a period of time of freezing the other sections of the reform in order to reach an agreement.
The main softening of the likelihood proposed by the president:
- The likelihood will be eliminated only on decisions made by government plenums and ministerial committees, which are not individual
- Appointments: The likelihood will be eliminated only on the appointment of ministers and deputy ministers
- Everything is not valid during an election season.
- Ministerial decisions and other appointments: They will be reasonable in a different wording. (not closed, probably American)
More than 90,<> demonstrated against the reform yesterday // Photo: Yoni Rikner
On the issue of the freeze, the coalition is willing to hear about a six-month period in order to try to reach an agreement. This is based on the understanding that there will be a summer recess in the Knesset, and then at the winter conference they will first begin to deal with promoting the draft law. On the other hand, the opposition demanded a longer duration. Herzog met with Netanyahu and Lapid, but last night efforts at a compromise have not yet led to progress.
In addition, the coalition is not prepared to postpone the end of the summer conference and insists on passing the reduction of the reasonableness grounds already at the current conference, so that even the short timetable is a point of difficulty.
Knesset plenum, yesterday, photo: Jonathan Zindel/Flash90
Meanwhile, we first reported in Israel Hayom that Justice Minister Yariv Levin demanded that any agreement to freeze the rest of the legislation be subject to the fact that he would not risk the High Court of Justice requiring him to convene the Judicial Selection Committee in its current format. Levin demands that if the High Court issues an order requiring it to convene the committee, then in any freeze the coalition will advance legislation to change the committee with or without the opposition's consent.
In the Histadrut track
In another channel of the negotiations, Histadrut Chairman Arnon Bar-David and Business Sector Presidency Chairman Dubi Amitai submitted their own outline over the weekend to Netanyahu and the opposition leaders. The outline was formulated on the basis of the proposals of Prof. Yuval Albashan, Prof. Yedidia Stern and Adv. Raz Nizri, former Deputy Attorney General.
According to the outline, the grounds for reasonableness will be reduced so that government or ministerial decisions cannot be invalidated by virtue of it alone, provided that these decisions relate to policy matters. It was also noted that the government would declare that it would not complete legislation regarding the reform without the consent of 75 Knesset members over the course of a year and a half. Nevertheless, the Likud refused to accept the Histadrut's proposal. In response, Lapid, who saw the outline as a basis for discussion, accused it of continuing the refusal to compromise.
In addition, Yaniv Levy, chairman of the Histadrut's information department, told Israel Hayom that "the strike can also be declared at 12 p.m. if you want, but we are not looking to strike, but to bring about a solution."
The opposition initially denied the contacts, but quickly clarified their positions. For Lapid's people, the first principle is a commitment to the rest of the legislation with broad consensus. The second principle is to change the law of reasonableness, so that it will not be possible to dismiss and appoint attorneys general without regard to reasonableness.
The state camp still insisted on Gantz's outline from Wednesday, according to which any agreement on reducing the reasonableness grounds depends on Netanyahu's promise to advance the rest of the reform by agreement only, without a deadline for negotiations. Yesterday, Gantz addressed Netanyahu with perhaps the last message, in which he suggested: "If we go to an outline of agreements, we will apply it to the next Knesset as well – if we do not reach agreements. This legislation will become a passing stain on the history of the State of Israel in the next Knesset."
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