Israel’s president warns: ‘Profound disagreement is tearing country apart’

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog has issued an unprecedented statement, vowing to do what he can to prevent further escalation of the “constitutional crisis” which is “tearing” Israel apart. 

“We are in the grips of a profound disagreement that is tearing our nation apart. This conflict worries me deeply, as it worries many across Israel and the Diaspora,” he said.

On Saturday more than 80,000 people demonstrated in Tel Aviv against the government’s judicial reforms that will significantly weaken the powers of the High Court of Justice. Another 1,500 people demonstrated in front of Herzog’s residence in Jerusalem, calling on him to intervene in the debate over Israel’s judicial system.

“I respect everyone who has been arguing and getting involved, protesting and demonstrating, and I appreciate the public engagement in this important debate. I respect the criticism toward me, but I am now focused on two critical roles that I believe I bear as president at this hour: averting a historic constitutional crisis and stopping the continued rift within our nation,” Herzog said.

“The foundations of Israeli democracy, including the justice system, are sacred and we must strictly safeguard them, even at a time of fundamental arguments and debates about the relationship between the different branches of government,” he added.

Herzog said he had been making “nonstop efforts” with party leaders in an attempt to create “wide-reaching, attentive, and respectful discussion and dialogue.”

Despite the efforts Herzog said he wasn’t “certain” it would help since “there is still a long way to go and significant gaps remain.”

Simcha Rhotman, Religious Zionism lawmaker and chair of the powerful Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, welcomed Herzog’s statement in an exclusive interview with Jewish News.

“If he thinks he can lower the tensions by inviting and talking to people, by all means. Why not? It’s a good thing to have people negotiating,” Rhotman said.

But according to a report on Channel 12, the government will only allow for “cosmetic” changes to its reform plan, putting a lit on the opposition’s hope to reach a deeper compromise.

“The principles of the Declaration of Independence and the Jewish and democratic contours of our state are my guiding lights and I will not allow them to be harmed,” Herzog vowed.