![]() The country’s figurehead president, Isaac Herzog, said pausing the legislative blitz was “the right thing” and offered to oversee the negotiating teams. He vowed to reach a “broad consensus” during the summer session of parliament, which begins on April 30. “When there’s an opportunity to avoid civil war through dialogue, I, as prime minister, am taking a timeout for dialogue,” Netanyahu said in his speech. “Millions of citizens who have protested until now will not give up.”Ī flurry of phone calls between rival opposition leaders followed Netanyahu‘s announcement and lasted into Tuesday morning, with several working groups named as the protests subsided and Israel‘s largest labor union called off its general strike. “The protesters who take to the streets are not stupid,” the group known as the Umbrella Movement of Resistance against Dictatorship said in a statement. A key group, however, declared it would hold a new protest later Tuesday and again on Saturday night in Tel Aviv, which has been its practice in the last three months. Some anti-government protesters stepped aside, for the moment at least, but made clear their distrust of Netanyahu and his allies. “We have to figure out together how to fix the situation, how to live together.” “I feel good today, everything calmed down from yesterday,” said Maor Daniel, also from Tel Aviv. The pause gave many Israelis time to consider the challenge ahead. ![]() Netanyahu over the years “promised us a lot but didn’t always fulfill, unfortunately.” “I feel relief but with doubt,” Fega Gutman, Tel Aviv resident, said Tuesday. Netanyahu leads the most right-wing government in Israeli history and his allies have vowed to enact the legislation. But it failed to address the underlying issues that have polarized Israelis. His announcement appeared to calm some of the tensions that have fueled months of unrest. Netanyahu spoke after tens of thousands of people demonstrated outside the parliament building in Jerusalem. In his address, the premier said he wanted “to avoid civil war” and would seek a compromise with political opponents. “There’s no question that the prime minister will come and see President Biden.” The weeklong Passover holiday begins next week. He obviously will be coming, I assume after Passover.” Nides said. “The prime minister has been to the White House probably 50 times. was withholding an invitation as a sign of displeasure with Netanyahu and his new far-right government. Israeli media have reported that the U.S. ![]() ambassador, Tom Nides, said in a radio interview that the White House would soon invite Netanyahu to visit. PHOTOS: Israel tensions ease as Netanyahu pauses judicial overhaul Many of Israel‘s closest allies have also voiced concerns. The pause brought a brief period of calm after a stormy period that has seen mass protests and heavy opposition from influential sectors like Israeli business leaders, academics and military reservists who have complained the overhaul was pushing Israel toward authoritarianism. ![]()
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