Biden urges Israel to find compromise amid rising protests
2023.02.12 05:38
Biden urges Israel to find compromise amid rising protests
By Ray Johnson
Budrigannews.com – The hard-right government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been pushing for significant changes to the judiciary that have sparked nationwide protests. U.S. President Joe Biden has called for widespread agreement in Israel on these changes.
The legislation process for the judicial overhaul could begin on Monday in Israel’s parliament. This would give the government more power over who chooses judges and lessen the Supreme Court’s ability to overturn laws or rule against the executive.
Protests and calls for the government to slow down and come to an agreement on its judicial plan, which polls show has little support in its current form, have followed the push.
Biden stated the following in response to a question posed by The New York Times on Sunday:
“The genius of Israeli democracy and American democracy is that both are founded on strong institutions, checks and balances, and an independent judiciary. To ensure that people will support fundamental changes and allow them to be sustained, consensus building is crucial.
Netanyahu, who is accused of corruption but denies, has said that the changes are needed to restore balance between the government, the Knesset, and the judiciary. Some members of his coalition say that the judiciary is too elitist and uses its power too much to get involved in politics.
The changes, according to critics, would be fatal to Israel’s democracy because they would politicize the bench and weaken judicial independence, making it easier for corruption and putting human rights and civil liberties in danger.
One of the main proponents of the changes, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, claimed that a judicial coup was underway, with assistance from Supreme Court judges and civil servants, by leftists who refuse to accept the right-wing’s Nov. 1 election victory.
He was referring to a ruling issued by the Supreme Court on Friday directing Netanyahu and his government to respond to a petition requesting that the premier be declared legally incapacitated.
The government’s judicial plans have been criticized by a lot of legal experts, economists, and former security and economic officials, including appointments and confidants of Netanyahu.
The head of Israel’s central bank has pleaded with lawmakers to preserve the independence of Israel’s institutions, and the opposition is urging Israelis to participate in a general strike on Monday.
