After the resounding defeat of the coalition on Wednesday, when an opposition MK was elected to serve on the committee to appoint judges, but no coalition MK, and the postponement of the procedure for a month over the coalition’s lack of votes, the great judicial reform crusader, Justice Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Yariv Levin (Likud), on Friday announced bravely: “At the end of a difficult week, I am more determined than ever to continue and do everything to pass the necessary reform to fix the judicial system.”
Minister Levin thanked the right-wing camp for the great support for his reform: “Thank you all for the important support for the moves I lead for a just justice system. Shabbat Shalom!”
An unexpected supporter for Levin was Likud MK Yuli Edelstein, who wrote: “We made mistakes along the way, now we are correcting them. I support the changes required in the justice system. It is very desirable to reach agreements – right now the opposition is the one blowing up the talks.” He added: “Hope is not yet lost.”
Edelstein was one of the first senior Likud MKs to criticize Levin’s proposed judicial reform, not for its value, but for Levin’s abrasive tactics. Throughout the legislative process, Likud representatives repeated the fact that, in the end, they are empowered by their 64 Knesset mandates to pass the reform, but Wednesday’s vote taught them that a good number of these mandates must not be taken for granted.
