Netanyahu rejects Biden’s suggestion that he ‘walk away’ from judicial overhaul

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated emphatically that he will not submit to foreign “pressure” after President Joe Biden said he hoped the embattled prime minister “walks away” from a controversial judicial review.

“Israel is a sovereign country that makes its decisions by the will of its people and not on the basis of pressure from abroad, not even from its closest friends,” Netanyahu tweeted, after Biden himself ventured to comment on his sudden turn in power. the case.

Biden explicitly said on Tuesday that he wants Netanyahu to forego the judicial overhaul that has led to massive public demonstrations and a general strike in Israel. Netanyahu announced a break from the plan on Monday.

“I hope he walks away from it,” Biden said in one of many comments on the subject to reporters on Tuesday.

The back-and-forth came after thousands of Israelis took to the streets to protest the judicial overhaul. Some opponents accuse Netanyahu, who is accused of corruption, of using it to bolster his own power.

“Like many strong supporters of Israel, I am very concerned, and I am concerned that they get this clear,” Biden said. “They can’t continue on this path, and I’ve made that more or less clear. Hopefully the Prime Minister will act in such a way that he can try to work out a real compromise, but that remains to be seen.”

US Ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides said on Tuesday that Netanyahu would be invited to visit the White House “soon”.

But there may be a few snags. The time of Israel reported that the government wants Israelis and Palestinians to get through the holiday peacefully before terms are set, and that it won’t happen for “at least another month or two.”

President Joe Biden ventured to comment on the Israeli political situation on Tuesday

Netanyahu called out ‘pressure from abroad’ on Tuesday

Protesters took to the streets after Netanyahu fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who had criticized the judicial overhaul. Here, an Israeli protester throws a sign reading Netanyahu at a bonfire on March 27, 2023 in Tel Aviv

Netanyahu’s government withdrew on Monday amid mass protests

And Biden contradicted the reports when asked if he invited Netanyahu and if he thought he would come to Washington. ‘Nnot in the short term,” Biden replied.

Netanyahu announced the delay in a speech Monday night, but gave no indication that the move was definitely dead.

He said he was “unwilling to tear the nation in two” and said that “when there is an opportunity to avoid brotherly war through dialogue, I as Prime Minister will take time out for that dialogue.”

Netanyahu took part in a democracy summit hosted by the State Department on Wednesday with a series of virtual appearances.

He stressed that the alliance was “unwavering,” even though “Israel and the United States have had occasional disagreements.”

“Nothing can change that,” he said.

At the Democracy Summit, Netanyahu called the overhaul an attempt to better balance branches of the Israelis with civil liberties protections after his opponents labeled it a power play. He said negotiators would “try to build a broad national consensus to achieve both goals.” And I believe this is possible. We’re having exactly this conversation right now,” he said.