Israeli parties will 'seek consensus' over Netanyahu's judicial reforms

Prime Minister has said he will delay discussions on planned judicial overhaul until next month

Israeli security forces use a water cannon to disperse protesters in Tel Aviv. AFP

Israel's major parties in the Knesset will seek to build a “stronger national consensus” on the government's plans for judicial reforms, a former Israeli ambassador to the UK has said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he will delay the process for discussions on the planned judicial overhaul to next month.

Further readings of the justice bill will be delayed until after the Passover recess, Mr Netanyahu said on Monday, confirming a statement from a right-wing party in his government coalition.

Mark Regev, the former Israeli ambassador to the UK, said polling released on Monday showed 60 per cent of Israelis were in favour of moving ahead with judicial reforms.

“I think what we are going to see is the major parties in the Knesset … trying to reach understanding, whereby we move forward on judicial reform but it is somehow made in a way that it’s less confrontational and you can build a stronger national consensus behind the proposals,” Mr Regev said.

“The attempt will be made. We will have to see if it happens or not.”

He said the government was elected in November with a majority and an agenda to complete judicial reform.

But even people who voted for the government “support the idea that this be done in a less confrontational manner, this be done through consensus”.

Israel protests - in pictures

He said there is support on both sides of the legal divide for this dialogue process.

“The people who support the reform see Israel’s very activist Supreme Court as sort of a House of Lords like you have in Britain, which limits the power of the elected government,” Mr Regev said.

“In Israel, we have a very activist judiciary and the idea that one branch reigns supreme over the other two is of concern to many voters.”

Israel came to a standstill as more than 80,000 people took to the streets to protest against the judicial reforms and Mr Netanyahu's dismissal of a government minister opposing the legislation.

The proposed changes, which critics have called an attack on Israel's democracy, would make it harder for the Supreme Court's powers to rule against the legislature and the executive. They would also give the government more power to appoint judges.

The reforms have split the newly formed government, with far-right ministers such as Security of Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatening to resign if the legislation does not pass.