Judicial reforms are not the only ones. These are the most controversial issues threatening Israel

Israeli street protests, culminating in a general strike, prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to suspend controversial judicial reforms for more than three months.

Negotiations began on Tuesday between representatives of the right-wing coalition government and the opposition under the auspices of President Isaac Herzog, with experts questioning the possibility of progress and finding a mutually acceptable solution.

Here are some of the key issues that have emerged during this crisis:

National Guard or militia?

Israel's far-key National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir refused to halt judicial reform and, after the general strike was announced, threatened to withdraw from the government coalition.

But within hours, Ben Gvir changed his mind in exchange for Netanyahu's commitment to push the government to approve the formation of a National Guard to work under the supervision of his ministry.

The idea of the National Guard emerged following violence in Israeli cities during an escalation with Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip in 2021.

In June 2022, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and former Minister of Public Security Omer Bar-Lev announced the launch of the Israel Guard, also known as the National Guard, to serve as part of the Border Police force and an arm of the Israel Police.

The idea of Ben Gvir taking control of an armed force has caused concern, with opposition leader Yair Lapid accusing him of seeking to "turn his militia of thugs into a national guard that brings terror and violence everywhere," and the national security minister has previously been accused of supporting a terrorist group.

The Israel Police appeared to be unhappy with the idea, and the Commissioner General of Police issued a joint statement with Ben Gvir's office saying that the commissioner had met with the Minister of Defense and that he had "agreed that the police would submit their proposal (on their vision of the idea of the National Guard) to Ben Gvir to form the National Guard."

Drafting a constitution

In remarks Monday about his hopes for talks with the government, opposition leader Yair Lapid hinted at the need to draft a constitution.

Israel does not have a constitution, but a series of basic laws that address some of the key issues it faces.

But Gael Telsher, a professor of political science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, believes that drafting a constitution with members of the current government would be a "disaster," noting that the 1948 "Declaration of Independence" spoke of a Jewish and democratic state, while the main force in the ruling coalition seeks a non-democratic Jewish state.

Opportunity to settle?

Talks between the parties began at the president's residence on Tuesday evening, and experts doubt they will lead to real change.

Israel Democracy Institute president Johanan Plesner expects Netanyahu to decide that the legislative process is not worth pursuing.

Telscher said the talks were "doomed to failure" and said the prime minister wanted to control the Supreme Court and the chief justice, adding that the coalition so loyal to Netanyahu could accept any other solution, noting that Herzog had already put forward a compromise drafted by academics but rejected by Netanyahu.

Security risks

Speaking to reporters, former Mossad intelligence chief Danny Yatom warned that civil unrest sparked by judicial reforms was "harming Israel's security" and spoke of threats from several quarters, including Palestinian militants and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Gael Telcher, a political science professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, believes the increased security risks could save Netanyahu.

She said that in the event of a security escalation, Netanyahu may be forced to form a kind of emergency government with former Defense Minister Benny Gantz, and dismiss more of what she described as extremist ministers, noting that any government with Gantz will keep judicial reform in a stalemate and ensure that it is not activated.

Constitutional crisis

The failure of talks on judicial reform and Netanyahu's coalition moving forward with unilateral legislative votes will prompt challenges to the laws and petitions to the Supreme Court.

If the court repeals the laws, Israel will find itself in an unprecedented situation, because judicial reforms give parliament the power to override such a move by judges.

The passage of the Judicial Reform Act, followed by a Supreme Court ruling that it is unconstitutional, could lead to a constitutional crisis, Telcher says.