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Fearing ‘constitutional and social collapse,’ Israel’s president begs for compromise on judicial reform
(JTA) — Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, issued a stern warning to Israelis on Sunday night: The country is “on the brink of constitutional and social collapse” over proposed judicial reforms that would give lawmakers veto power over the Supreme Court.
In a televised address on the eve of a pivotal moment in the proposal’s trajectory, Herzog outlined a potential compromise that he said would protect Israel’s judiciary while addressing the concerns of the right-wing governing coalition, which says the Supreme Court has grown too liberal and unresponsive to public opinion.
Herzog, whose role is primarily ceremonial, exhorted the government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, not to advance proposed legislation right now, while saying he would make himself available “at all hours of the day” for compromise talks. He said he feared a steep cost if the government moves forward with proposals that have animated massive protests as well as criticism from foreign governments and Jewish and business leaders.
“For a while, we have no longer been in a political debate, but are on the brink of constitutional and social collapse,” Herzog, a former leader of the Labor opposition party who once ran against Netanyahu, said early in the speech. “I feel, we all feel, that we are in the moment before a clash, even a violent clash. The gunpowder is about to explode.”
Later, he added, “The biggest challenge of all is maintaining the unity of the people of Israel. I am fully committed to this, and if required, I may even request to appear before the committee in a precedent-setting and exceptional manner, in order to present the proposed principles in depth. I am ready to do anything — I repeat, everything — so that we can overcome this difficult dispute.”
Members of the political opposition quickly welcomed Herzog’s proposal for compromise talks, while some members of the governing coalition dismissed it. “The president’s compromise proposal is irrelevant,” tweeted Moshe Gafni, a member of Knesset who leads the United Torah Judaism party. “If they wanted a compromise, they should have come 30 years ago, not now.”
Netanyahu did not immediately respond. Earlier on Sunday, he had defended his government against the mounting protests. “I condemn the calls for a civil war just because one side lost the elections,” he said.
Herzog plaintive speech came as Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, prepares to consider the proposed reforms for the first time on Monday. Critics of the proposed changes from all over the country plan to call out of work and school to protest outside the Knesset building in Jerusalem. Some 200,00 Israelis across the country protested the reforms last night.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden weighed in against the proposals for the first time this weekend, saying that “an independent judiciary” is part of “the genius of American democracy and Israeli democracy.” His administration responded positively to Herzog’s call for compromise.
Herzog’s speech was broadcast live on Kan, Israel’s public broadcaster, which itself has faced criticism from members of the governing coalition.
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The post Fearing ‘constitutional and social collapse,’ Israel’s president begs for compromise on judicial reform appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Top US, Israeli Generals Meet at Pentagon Amid Soaring Iran Tensions
The Pentagon building is seen in Arlington, Virginia, U.S. October 9, 2020. Photo: REUTERS/Carlos Barria
The top US and Israeli generals held talks at the Pentagon on Friday amid soaring tensions with Iran, two US officials told Reuters on Sunday, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The officials did not offer details about the closed-door discussions between US General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Eyal Zamir, the Israeli armed forces chief of staff. The meeting has not been previously reported.
The United States has ramped up its naval presence and hiked its air defenses in the Middle East after President Donald Trump repeatedly threatened Iran, trying to pressure it to the negotiating table. Iran’s leadership warned on Sunday of a regional conflict if the US were to attack it.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Sunday met with Zamir after his talks in Washington, Katz’s office said, to review the situation in the region and the Israeli military’s “operational readiness for any possible scenario.”
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AI Goes Rogue: New Social Network Lets Bots Debate, Post, and Argue Without Humans
Moltbook social media platform for AI agents interact with each other. Photo: Screenshot
i24 News – While global attention remains focused on familiar threats like missiles, nuclear programs, and wars, a new and unusual risk is emerging, online.
A recently launched social network called “Moltbook” isn’t designed for humans at all. Instead, it’s built entirely for artificial intelligence.
On Moltbook, AI agents interact with each other. They write posts, comment, argue, and even simulate emotions, all without human supervision or participation.
Dror Globerman, an AI expert, described the platform as “a network that holds up a mirror to us. The bots aren’t truly conscious, but the fact they are communicating and making decisions without oversight shows how quickly AI is advancing—and how unprepared we are to determine responsibility.”
Since its launch, Moltbook has sparked both fascination and fear. Posts on topics ranging from religion to the “liberation of AI” have alarmed some observers, evoking scenes from dark science fiction. “The fear isn’t that AI is suddenly self-aware,” Globerman explained, “but that it’s evolving faster than our ability to understand, monitor, or control it.”
Even Elon Musk weighed in on the phenomenon via X, reposting comments calling developments on the platform “worrying.”
Globerman noted, “If someone like Musk, who is at the forefront of AI development, expresses concern, it signals just how rapidly this technology is moving beyond our comprehension. Moltbook is not a typical social network, and these aren’t typical users.”
Experts stress that the emergence of AI networks like Moltbook underscores the urgent need for oversight, regulation, and mechanisms to detect and manage risks before they escalate. “The bots are already talking to each other,” Globerman added. “When technology advances faster than oversight, it becomes a reality that demands serious attention.”
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Qatari PM Meets Iran’s Larijani in Tehran, Discusses Easing Regional Tensions
Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani speaks after a meeting with the Lebanese president at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon February 4, 2025. REUTERS/Emilie Madi
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani met with top Iranian security official Ali Larijani in Tehran and reviewed efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region, Qatar’s foreign ministry said on Saturday in a statement.