Benjamin Netanyahu Facing Increasing Party Pressure to Halt Judicial Overhaul in Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing dissent from his own party and cabinet over a controversial judicial overhaul. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, a Likud lawmaker, has publicly called for the legislation to be suspended for a month due to concerns that the reforms could endanger court independence. Gallant’s statement was welcomed by senior Likud lawmaker David Bitan, while another Likud lawmaker, Eli Dalal, has also spoken in favour of suspending the legislation. The proposed overhaul would give Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist coalition more control over the appointment of judges. However, it is not clear whether the ratification vote will proceed as planned this week or if dissenters within Likud might abstain.