President Issac Herzog on Thursday said the current legislation pushed through by the coalition to overhaul the judicial system must be thrown out.
In an address to the nation, the president said that the laws being advanced are wrong, destructive, an affront to Israel's democratic values, and must be replaced. He described this as a watershed moment.
"Our democracy is a value, an independent judiciary, is a value, the rights of the minorities, gender equality, are our values, and yes more diversity in our courts is also a value," he said.
This is the most outspoken the president has been thus far in his opposition to the government's legislative push to overhaul the judiciary.
He said he had over the past 10 weeks met with all sides of the conflicting views, and can say that most disagreements have been resolved and that a resolution to the crisis was within reach.
"We cannot allow a small detail - no matter how vital, to lead the country to disaster," he said. the time to stop this is now," he said.
Herzog, looking into the camera and likely addressing his words to members of the coalition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: Elected representatives and leaders, are public servants and not masters."
He urged all politicians to put the citizens of the country first over their egos and political interests.
The president said that in discussions he had held over the past 10 weeks, agreements have been reached and a resolution to the crisis is within reach if egos and political interests are set aside.
He said