Tensions ease in Israel as Benjamin Netanyahu pauses judicial overhaul

Israels political factions opposed to embattled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began setting up negotiating teams Tuesday after he paused a controversial judicial overhaul plan that had set off unprecedented street protests and a spiraling domestic crisisBut compromise seemed elusive and Netanyahus legacy was on the line in a standoff over the fundamental issue of what kind of country Israel should be and positions only appear to have hardenedThree months of demonstrations against the overhaul plan intensified this week and Israels main trade union declared a general strike leading to chaos that shut down much of the country and threatened to paralyse the economyNetanyahu in a primetime speech on Monday night acknowledged the divisions roiling the nation and announced a monthlong delay for the legislation Within hours analysts pointed out that firing his defence minister Sunday night heightened the outrage and sank Netanyahus approval among his own Likud party which left Israels longestserving leader with few choicesHe understood that hes in a dead end said Yohanan Plesner president of Israel Democracy Institute And Netanyahu who is very experienced understood that now is the time for correctionIn his address the premier said he wanted to avoid civil war and would seek a compromise with political opponents Netanyahu spoke after tens of thousands of people demonstrated outside the parliament building in JerusalemHis announcement appeared to calm some of the tensions that have fuelled months of unrest But it failed to address the underlying issues that have polarised Israelis Netanyahu leads the most rightwing government in Israeli history and and his allies have vowed to enact the legislationI feel relief but with doubt Fega Gutman Tel Aviv resident said Tuesday Netanyahu over the years promised us a lot but didnt always fulfill unfortunatelyThe pause gave many Israelis time to consider the challenge aheadI feel good today everything calmed down from yesterday said Maor Daniel also from Tel Aviv We have to figure out together how to fix the situation how to live togetherA flurry of phone calls between rival opposition leaders followed Netanyahus announcement and lasted into Tuesday morning with several working groups named as the protests subsided and Israels largest labour union called off its general strikeWhen theres an opportunity to avoid civil war through dialogue I as prime minister am taking a timeout for dialogue Netanyahu said in his speech He vowed to reach a broad consensus during the summer session of parliament which begins on April 30The countrys figurehead president Isaac Herzog said pausing the legislative blitz was the right thing and offered to oversee the negotiating teams He spoke in separate phone calls with Netanyahu opposition leader Yair Lapid and National Union Party Chairman Benny Gantz his office saidAlso read Flights from main Israel airport grounded as strike calledThis is the time for frank serious and responsible discussion that will lead urgently to calming spirits and lowering the flames Herzog saidNational Security Minister Itamar BenGvir an ultranationalist who has pushed for quick passage of the package said it will pass though he would respect the delay No one will scare us he tweetedCritics say the legislative package would hobble the countrys system of checks and balances Protesters vowed to intensify their demonstrationsThe overhaul would give Netanyahu who is on trial on corruption charges and his allies the final say in appointing the nations judges It would also give parliament which is controlled by his allies authority to overturn Supreme Court decisions and limit the courts ability to review lawsNetanyahu has argued that the overhaul is needed to rein in a liberal and overly interventionist court of unelected judges But his opponents say the package would concentrate too much power in the hands of Netanyahus allies They also say that he has a conflict of interest as a criminal defendantLarge swaths of Israeli society and governments around the world condemned the overhaul Business leaders top economists and former security chiefs have all come out against the plan saying it is pushing the country toward an autocracy Fighter pilots and military reservists have threatened not to report for duty and the countrys currency the shekel has tumbled in valueTens of thousands of people largely secular middleclass Israelis have regularly joined mass protests against it The situation escalated on Sunday night after Netanyahu abruptly fired Defence Minister Yoav Gallant who had urged him to put his plan on hold citing concerns about damage to the Israeli militaryChanting the country is on fire furious protesters lit bonfires on Tel Avivs main highway closing the thoroughfare and many others throughout the country for hours Demonstrators continued Monday outside the Knesset or parliament turning the streets surrounding the building and the Supreme Court into a roiling sea of blueandwhite Israeli flags dotted with rainbow Pride bannersDeparting flights from the main international airport were grounded stranding tens of thousands of travellers Large mall chains and universities closed their doors and the union called for its 800000 members to stop work in health care transit banking and other fieldsIsraels Palestinian citizens have largely sat out the protests Many say Israels democracy is tarnished by its military rule over their brethren in the West Bank and the discrimination they themselves faceEven with the big issues standing officials inside and outside Israel signalled relief that the pause had bought some time The Biden administration welcomed Netanyahus announcement making its encouragement clear by dangling the prospect of an upcoming visit soon by the Israeli premier to the White HouseI had a nice night of sleep last night thank God Nides the US ambassador told Israel Army Radio TuesdayThis morning Im optimistic and I applaud the 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