‘This is my call to you, and I extend my hand to call for peace and mutual respect within us,’ Netanyahu says

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday evening addressed Israelis after the Knesset passed the key bill of his government’s judicial reform that sparked mass protests across the country.

Today we carried out a required democratic move, the move was aimed at restoring a degree of balance between the authorities, which was here for 50 years. We passed the amendment on the clause of reasonableness, so that the elected government could lead the policy in accordance with the decision of the majority of the country’s citizens,” said Netanyahu.

“Fulfilling the will of the voter is by no means “the end of democracy” – it is the essence of democracy. Because of the importance of the issue, the coalition worked in every way to reach agreements with the opposition,” he stressed.

Nevertheless, Netanyau pledged to “continue to strive for negotiations and reaching agreements.”

“Already in the coming days, the coalition will contact the opposition in order to hold a dialogue between us. We are ready to discuss everything immediately, and do it in the round of talks during the recess and reach a comprehensive agreement on everything, and if necessary we will add more time, until the end of November,” he said.

“I say to the leaders of the opposition: we can continue to argue, we can continue to fight, but we can also do something else: we can reach agreements about the future.

Let’s come to an agreement. This is my call to you, and I extend my hand to call for peace and mutual respect within us,” the prime minister said.

He also stressed that the IDF “must stay out of any political controversy.”

“The call for refusal harms the security of all citizens of the country. No government has the possibility to submit to the dictates of refusal and we will not submit to such dictates. I call on you, our brothers and sisters who serve in the reserves – leave the service in the IDF out of the political debate,” Netanyahu urged.

He concluded by addressing Israel’s “enemies.”

“I know you don’t know what democracy is. Do not build on the argument within us. As always, we will stand shoulder to shoulder and repel together any threat to our dear country,” Netanyahu vowed.