Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced today that he will postpone the second and third readings of the Justice Reform Bill, meaning that the controversial reform that has caused so much backlash at home and abroad is “frozen” for now. And this is in order to reach a broad consensus, as Netanyahu said today.

The Israeli Prime Minister added that the final approval of the bills will be postponed until the next parliamentary session, after the Jewish holiday of Passover (April 5-13).

“There is an extremist minority in the country that is ready to divide us. But I am not ready to tear and divide this people. I will turn every stone to find a solution,” Netanyahu said.

“We are at a dangerous crossroads. I give us time for dialogue. This crisis forces us all to act responsibly,” he said, in particular.

“When there is a choice to avoid civil war through dialogue, I give us time for dialogue,” the Israeli prime minister said characteristically, claiming that he makes this choice from a position of national responsibility and accountability.

Immediately after Netanyahu’s statements today, Israel’s largest trade union Histadrout called off the general strike it had called earlier.

However, it is worth noting that even now, after the episodes that preceded it, Netanyahu does not miss the opportunity to express confidence that the reform of the justice system will eventually pass, even if it is delayed.

Reservations from the opposition

Opposition parties were skeptical about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to delay reform of the judiciary, but said they would work to reach an agreement if the government was sincere.

Former Prime Minister Yair Lapid said the opposition needs to make sure Netanyahu is not “bluffing” because he had “bad experiences” with him in the past.

“On the other hand, if the government starts a real and honest dialogue, we can come out of this crisis stronger and more united, and we can turn it into a decisive moment for our ability to live together,” Lapid said in his speech. announcement.

The US welcomed Netanyahu’s announcement of a “postponement” of the controversial reform, which “allows more time to find a compromise solution,” a White House spokeswoman said. “We continue to urge Israeli politicians to find a compromise solution as soon as possible,” said Karine Jean-Pierre.

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverley from London praised the Israeli government’s decision, stressing the importance of maintaining a system of “checks and balances”.

According to Reuters, The Times of Israel, AFP, APE-MPE.