During a telephone conversation with the Israeli prime minister, Mr. Biden emphasized — taking a position on the issue for the first time — that the reform must respect fundamental democratic values, the American presidency clarified in its statement.
US President Joe Biden on Sunday called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to choose “compromise” regarding the controversial reform of Israel’s judicial system, according to a White House press release.
During a telephone conversation with the Israeli prime minister, Mr. Biden emphasized — taking a position on the issue for the first time — that the reform must respect fundamental democratic values, the American presidency clarified in its statement.
Democratic principles are a “hallmark” of US-Israel relations, the US president said. “He offered his support to ongoing efforts to find a compromise (…) consistent with these fundamental values,” the text added.
“Democratic societies are strengthened by true systems of democratic checks and balances (of power)” and any fundamental change must have “the broadest possible popular support,” Mr. Biden added to Mr. Netanyahu, according to the same source.
The reform, announced at the beginning of January, includes an article that allows parliament to annul, by a simple majority, decisions of the Supreme Court, something “humiliating” to its opponents.
The purpose is to increase the power of parliament over that of the judicial system. For critics of the reform, it threatens the democratic character of the state of Israel and could allow a potential conviction of Mr. Netanyahu, who is on trial on corruption charges, to be overturned.
For their part, the right-wing prime minister and his allies say the reform is necessary to restore a balance of power between Knesset members and the Supreme Court, which they say is politicized. Provisions of the bill have already been approved by the Israeli national delegation in first reading.
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Israel again last Saturday, for the 11th week in a row, to denounce the draft law on the judicial system supported by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
On Wednesday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog presented a draft compromise on the planned reform, which was accepted by opposition party leaders but immediately rejected by factions of the ruling coalition.
Source :Skai
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