Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed optimism this weekend regarding the negotiations taking place under his auspices over the government’s judicial reform initiative, saying they are being held amid a “positive atmosphere.”
“There’s goodwill and there’s a positive attitude in the room, and things are discussed frankly and honestly,” Herzog told Arutz Sheva in an interview, adding that “all the hard issues [were] on the table” and the sides were attempting to reach an “amicable solution.”
“I’m definitely giving [the process] a chance. I will say, furthermore: I believe that the alternative is much worse, and all the parties concerned and their leaders know [this]. And more than that I truly believe that if we work well here, and if we work with trust, and we don’t let all sorts of forces undermine the process, we can reach a positive outcome,” the president added.
In a separate interview with Channel 13, Herzog insisted that “no one is using me” and that he had “a great appreciation” for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“I think that he is a brilliant man who has done great things as prime minister. I don’t want to talk about the current period because whatever I say will be construed as political. I’m convinced he wants to reach a compromise,” said the president.
Herzog launched the negotiations in late March after Netanyahu announced in a national address that he was putting a hold on the reform program in order to “provide a real opportunity for real dialogue.”
