uS President Joe Biden has called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “compromise” on controversial judicial reform. In a phone call with Netanyahu on Sunday, Biden underlined that the planned restructuring of the Israeli judiciary must respect basic democratic values, the White House said. This is the first time Biden has publicly commented on the Israeli government’s controversial plans.
Democratic principles are a “hallmark” of US-Israeli relations, the US President said, according to the White House. Biden has “offered his support in the current effort to find a compromise consistent with these core principles.”
In addition, Biden said in the call that “democratic societies are strengthened by genuine checks and balances” and that “major changes should be made with the widest possible public support.”
More power for the Knesset
The reform planned by the Israeli government provides more power for parliament and less rule-of-law control by the independent judiciary. Netanyahu and his ultra-religious and far-right coalition partners argue that the judiciary in Israel currently has too much power.
Critics fear that the separation of powers will be abolished and that democracy in Israel will be undermined. They also accuse Netanyahu that the proposed changes to the law are aimed, among other things, at protecting him from impeachment. Netanyahu is currently on trial for corruption.
The plans are dividing society, and tens of thousands of people have been demonstrating against them across the country for eleven weeks. Israeli President Isaac Herzog presented a compromise proposal on Wednesday, which was immediately rejected by the government.
