Israel is still a democracy but it needs its sanity back

Now that Netanyahuhas paused the reforms, an acceptance is emerging that the only endgame is compromise. Having said that, despite the rights and wrongs of the issue, there is a red line: the extremists who have crowbarred their way into government must not be given the power to vandalise the country.

As negotiations come closer, both sides would do well to consider their own obligations to democracy. The opposition parties have refused to join a coalition with a prime minister facing corruption charges, leaving the extremists to step into the vacuum. However unpalatable, they could exercise their own democratic power, hold their noses and join the Netanyahu government in the national interest, enabling him to discard the fanatics.

If this is a step too far, they will have to accept that some reform of the Supreme Court’s overweening power is necessary. But the main burden of compromise needs to be shouldered by the Netanyahu camp. The current turmoil gripping the state came about because of their choices. They must now act in the interests of the country, accept the imperative for finding the middle ground and return Israel to sanity.