Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday urged the government to immediately halt its planned judicial overhaul, saying: “the eyes of the whole world are on you.”
“I turn to the Prime Minister, members of the government and members of the coalition: the feelings are hard and painful. Deep concern hovers over the entire nation. Security, economy, society — everyone is threatened. The eyes of all the people of Israel are on you. The eyes of all the Jewish people are on you. The eyes of the whole world are on you,” Herzog said in a post on his official Facebook page.
Herzog called on the “leaders of all the Knesset factions, coalition and opposition alike, to put the citizens of the country above all, and to act responsibly and with courage without further delay.”
“Come to your senses now! This is not a political moment, this is a moment for leadership and responsibility,” he said.
Some context: Although the Israeli presidency is largely a ceremonial role, Herzog has been actively speaking with all parties calling for negotiations. Herzog has previously said the government’s proposed legislation was “misguided, brutal and undermines our democratic foundations,” and warned Israel was potentially on the brink of a “civil war.”