Israeli opposition leaders say ready for dialogue
Yair Lapid, head of the centrist Yesh Atid party, delivers a statement to the press before the party faction meeting at the Knesset, Israel's parliament, in Jerusalem May 31, 2021. Debbie Hill/Pool via REUTERS
Israeli opposition parties gave a cautious welcome to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to delay his flagship judicial reform package and said they would work to reach an agreement if the government was sincere.
Former centrist Prime Minister Yair Lapid said the opposition needed to be sure that Netanyahu was not indulging in "tricks or bluffing" and said they had "bad experience" in the past with him.
"On the other hand, if the government engages in a real and fair dialogue we can come out of this moment of crisis — stronger and more united — and we can turn this into a defining moment in our ability to live together," he said in a statement.
