Israel's Netanyahu Vows to Scale Back Judicial Reform Amid Protests

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he would drop some of the controversial judicial reform proposals that his government unveiled at the start of the year, sparking nationwide protests.

Speaking to a American broadcaster in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said he wanted to reform the makeup of the committee that selects judges before putting a stop to the campaign that has roiled the country for months, making it an investment risk.

"That’s basically what’s left — because other things I think we should not legislate," the 73-year-old prime minister conceded.

The government wants there to be a balance, he went on to say, adding, "That’s what we’re trying to restore."

Netanyahu also argued that the Israeli economy was "undervalued" and called on investors to follow the "smart money" he said was coming to Israel.

The Israeli parliament has so far passed only one bill that seeks to limit the ability of judges to overturn government decisions that they deem unreasonable. The government also planned to grant the legislature the power to overrule Supreme Court decisions and allow ministers to appoint their own legal advisers.