President Biden invites Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to DC following mass protests
President Biden invites Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington after days of mass protests in Israel over judicial review
- The move follows massive protests in response to the controversial overhaul
- The US ambassador to Israel, Thomas Nides, did not give an exact date
- The White House said it was “deeply concerned” about developments in Israel
President Joe Biden’s administration has invited Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to visit him at the White House “soon” after the Israeli leader announced a pause in a controversial overhaul plan for the judiciary amid mass protests.
The invitation, announced by US Ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides, comes at a time of great tension in Israel and follows numerous White House statements critical of the plan, which sparked months of protests in Israel.
The White House had hailed the delay on Monday as a possible opening for compromise, following days of street protests and civil unrest — with unions going on a general strike and schools and universities closing.
“We welcome this announcement as an opportunity to create more time and space for compromise,” said White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre. A compromise is exactly what we asked for. And we continue to strongly urge the Israeli leadership to find a compromise as soon as possible.”
The Biden administration said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been invited to visit President Joe Biden in Washington, though no date has been set. It comes after Netanyahu’s government backed down and interrupted a judicial overhaul plan amid mass protests
Earlier Monday, Adm. National security spokesman John Kirby told reporters that “we remain concerned about recent developments” in Israel.
“I’m sure he will come pretty soon,” Nides told Israel’s Army Radio. “I assume that after Passover, a date has clearly not been set yet,” he said, referring to the Jewish holiday that begins next week.
“Without a doubt, he will come to the White House as soon as their schedules can be coordinated,” he added.
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.”
The New York Times noted that the lack of a precise date indicated that it might fail.
Netanyahu’s government withdrew on Monday amid mass protests
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
The invitation comes after the Biden administration criticized the judicial review. “We are deeply concerned about today’s developments from Israel, which further underscore the urgent need for compromise,” National Security Council spokesman Adrienne Watson said Sunday.
The latest development followed massive protests that erupted Sunday after Netanyauhu fired his defense minister, who said the judicial review threatened security by bringing divisions into the Israeli armed forces.
The government had not invited Netanyahu to visit, although he was due to participate virtually in a summit on democracy on Wednesday.
The scheming politician, who faces corruption charges in Israel, grew close to former President Donald Trump and had fraught relations with President Barack Obama when Biden was vice president.
The White House has publicly shared its concern over the latest developments in Israel.
“We are deeply concerned about today’s developments from Israel, which further underscore the urgent need for compromise,” National Security Council spokesman Adrienne Watson said Sunday. “Democratic values have always been and must remain a hallmark of the US-Israel relationship.