Netanyahu pauses judicial overhaul to ‘avoid civil war’

With warnings on national security, an unprecedented strike and massive protests, Israel’s PM was forced to reconsider the controversial legislation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced he will temporarily freeze his government's controversial plans to enfeeble the judicial system, following a night of mass demonstrations across the country and an unprecedented general strike.

In a televised statement on Monday evening, Netanyahu said that he had ordered "the pause" on the controversial legislation until after the Knesset recess in order "to give a real opportunity for real dialogue."

"One thing I am not willing to accept - there are a minority of extremists that are willing to tear our country to shreds…escorting us to civil war and calling for refusal of army service, which is a terrible crime," Netanyahu said.

The prime minister compared the situation in Israel to the story of the Judgement of Solomon, saying that "both sides claim they love the baby, that they love our country."

The pause was immediately welcomed by Israel's president Isaac Herzog, who has proposed a compromise over the legislation, and by the White House.

Justice Minister Yair Levin and Otzma Yehudit coalition partner Itamar Ben-Gvir had both threatened to resign if Netanyahu paused the legislation but neither is expected to follow through. The Jerusalem Post reported that Netanyahu had agreed to subjugate Israel's National Guard to National Security MinisterBen-Gvir, in exchange for Otzma Yehudit promising not to leave the government, a move one human rights group said would create "a private, armed militia that would be directly under Ben-Gvir's control".

The catalyst for achieving the pause came on Saturday when Defence Minister Yoav Gallant warned that the rift in Israeli society posed a threat to national security and called on Netanyahu to pause the legislation.