Political chaos weakens prime minister as he pursues controversial changes

A rebellion by members of the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, government in an important vote related to controversial judicial changes has dealt the longtime leader a political setback, bringing divisions in his coalition to the fore and scuppering compromise talks with the opposition.

The Knesset was expected on Wednesday to elect two political representatives to Israel’s nine-member judicial selection committee, one of the key issues in the six-month-old debate over the nature of Israeli democracy, and a vote widely viewed as a referendum on the future of the overhaul.

Fresh protests expected against proposals as opposition members threaten to quit compromise talks

A key vote in Israel’s Knesset related to the government’s bitterly contested judicial overhaul is set to be delayed at the behest of the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in a move that could torpedo negotiations with the opposition and galvanise the anti-legislation protest movement.

Parliamentarians were due on Wednesday to elect two political representatives to the country’s nine-member judicial selection committee, the composition of which is one of the most important issues in the now six-month-old political crisis.

Political rivals have denounced the national guard plans as creating a personal ‘militia’ for extremist minister

After a dramatic day of wildcat strikes that shut down much of the country last month, Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, finally announced that his government’s controversial plans to overhaul the judiciary would be suspended until the Knesset’s summer session.

The Israeli leader struggled for hours to reach a compromise with the recalcitrant far-right elements of his coalition pushing for the judicial changes. But that evening, the extremist anti-Arab Jewish Power party, led by the national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, said it had agreed to back the pause in exchange for a promise to create the minister’s long sought-after “national guard”.

Politicians and protesters urged to stay away from events honouring those killed serving in armed forces and in terrorist attacks

Israel’s memorial day, in which those killed serving in the armed forces as well as terrorist attacks are honoured, is usually quiet and sombre; then, at sunset, independence day celebrations and fireworks begin.

But this year, as the country readies for the consecutive holidays, Israelis find themselves grappling with an unprecedented political crisis that has divided society and cast a shadow over what are supposed to be displays of national unity. A car ramming carried out by a Palestinian suspect with a Jerusalem residency on a busy street in the city on Monday afternoon, which injured five, added to the tensions.

Architect of Israel’s judicial changes doubles down for next round of legislative battle when Knesset reconvenes in May

The vicious fight in Israel over the government’s proposed judicial changes “transcends issues of left and right, and comes down to public distrust in government”, one of the architects of the plans has said, acknowledging that there is room for compromise going forward.

Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, returned to office in December at the helm of a coalition of conservative and religious parties that make up the most rightwing government in the country’s history. The new administration’s most pressing item on its agenda proposed what it called “judicial reform” to limit the supreme court’s ability to overturn laws and to give politicians more control over the appointment of justices.

Dismissal of Yoav Gallant triggered unprecedented surge of protest against plan to disempower judiciary

As Israel faces a surge in violence on almost every front, the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has reversed his decision to fire the defence minister, Yoav Gallant, for warning that his judicial overhaul was harming the military.

In a televised speech late on Monday, Netanyahu said Gallant would stay in his position, two weeks after he dismissed the minister.