Netanyahu Reportedly Prepares To Halt Judicial Overhaul After Gallant's Delayed Speech

Multiple Israeli media outlets report this morning that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhyahu is expected to halt legislation amounting to his contentious judicial overhaul, even as some members of his coalition are unlikely to support his decision.

• Public broadcaster Kan reported that Netanyahu is expected to give a speech at 10:00am in the Knesset (08:00GMT). Other reports suggested that leaders of the ruling coalition were planning to meet at 09:00am (07:00GMT) to discuss the next steps on the judicial reforms.
• This follows an escalation in already widespread street protests against the reforms, which intensified after Netanyahu sacked Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for saying in a televised statement that IDF members were showing opposition to the judicial overhaul at an unprecedented scale.
• Gallant was supposed to deliver his speech last week but called it off after a meeting with the Prime Minister. Subsequent source reports noted that his announcement was delayed but not cancelled, as the Defence Minister awaited the final outline of the judicial overhaul.
• Some of Netanyahu's coalition partners have already spoken against his expected announcement. Far-right Otzma Yehudit party's Amichai Eliyahu said that stopping the legislation would be "giving in to political coercion" and would be "a really problematic thing."