Netanyahu slams 'biased' media, calls for talks, opposition rejects
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The Israeli PM says the media is "fully mobilized" to serve his government's opposition.
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Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in occupied Al-Quds, Monday, June 14, 2021 (AP)
Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused media outlets of being influenced by his opposition to incite anti-government protests and weaken his term.
“We are witnessing an unprecedented attack by biased media channels against the government, fully mobilized to serve opponents of the reform,” Netanyahu said during a meeting of the Likud party in the Knesset.
Last Thursday saw the tenth week of mass settler protests against Netanyahu's government. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis marched across several major cities under the banner of "Day of Resistance Against the Dictatorship," blocking several main roads, most significantly in "Tel Aviv".
In a first, Israeli media said then that IOF reservists have blocked the entrance to the building of "Kohelet Forum", a think tank supporting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's judicial reforms, in occupied Al-Quds.
Read more: Moody's: 'judicial reform' to weaken "Israel's" institutional strength
Netanyahu also accused the media of portraying military personnel refusing military service in protest against the judicial overhaul as "heroes" and protesters blocking the roads as "freedom fighters", despite dealing with the previous [Yair Lapid] government with "kids gloves".
Netanyahu told the party members that a proper "democracy" means that an “elected government is responsible for the army, the police, law, and order."
However, the occupation PM reiterated the need for dialogue among conflicting parties.
“The right thing to do is to talk, to try to reach agreements. It’s still not too late and I’m still not giving it up."
Israeli division grows, opposition against dialogue
The Israeli opposition coalition announced that they will boycott the final voting session in the Knesset on judicial reforms.
However, the opposition failed to fully convene as the Arab parties did not attend the meeting that included Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid, Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beyteinu, Benny Gantz’s National Unity, and Merav Michaeli’s Labor party.
In a joint statement, the parties said there will be no dialogue with the PM until the reforms process stops.
“The unity of the people begins with real dialogue and as long as there is no halt to legislation, talks are just a deception,” the statement said.
“When the president’s outline is presented, we will be happy to address his proposal and we appreciate his efforts to reach negotiations,” it added.
“We will do everything to prevent the passing of the laws, but if God forbid we get to a third reading — we will be a part of this and boycott the vote in the plenary."
The parties called on the government to drop “this crazy collection of laws” and to instead cooperate with them to reach a “comprehensive and balanced constitutional arrangement.”
