JERUSALEM—Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on March 27 delayed a decision on bitterly contested plans for a judicial overhaul to next month amid concern that Israel’s worst national crisis in years could fracture his coalition or escalate into violence.
It isn’t known whether the bill’s delay, amid a wave of protests, will satisfy either side or cool a crisis that the army chief on March 27 said made “this hour different to any before.”
Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir agreed to the delay in exchange for a commitment to submit the legislation in the next session of parliament.
Opponents of the plan to tighten parliament’s control over judicial processes say it’s a threat to democracy and have mobilized huge protests against it. Supporters of the legislation have promised counterdemonstrations….