JERUSALEM – Israel has accused the United States of inappropriately meddling in its internal affairs as the fallout continues from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s attempt to increase what his far-right coalition says over how judges are selected.
The comments widen simmering tensions between the two close allies that have been building for months.
Netanyahu’s planned judicial reforms are highly controversial
On Monday, Netanyahu postponed for at least a month — but vowed to continue — an effort to change how Israel appoints Supreme Court justices. The court is extremely important to Israel and could dictate future legislation from Netanyahu’s coalition or even ultimately Netanyahu’s own corruption trial. The effort prompted months of demonstrations in Israel, with protesters saying it was an attempt to pave the way for a nationalist and religious agenda.
Biden told reporters a day later that he was “very concerned” about the judicial proposal. And he said there were no plans “in the near term” for the US to invite Netanyahu to the White House – responding to what the US ambassador to Israel had apparently said that Netanyahu might be invited soon.
Netanyahu maintained that he was trying to strengthen the country’s democracy against a liberal court system. Regarding the US pressure, he released a statement on Wednesday saying, “Israel is a sovereign country that makes its decisions through the will of its people and not based on pressures from outside the country , including from best friends.”
Later in the day, reporters from most of the US media were invited to hear a senior Israeli official speak – without naming and largely without citing the official – with a sharper criticism of the White House. The official accused the US of inappropriately intervening and said it was strange for Biden to comment after Netanyahu said he was delaying his proposal.
Ahmad Gharabli / AFP via Getty Images
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AFP via Getty Images
The signs are that the two administrations may not be on the same page
The situation poses diplomatic and political challenges for both leaders. Israel is a key security ally and major recipient of US military aid – billions of dollars a year subject to an agreement made by the Obama administration, of which Biden is vice president.
But since Netanyahu was elected last fall, there have been a series of exchanges with the White House that show they are not on the same page over Israel’s plan to expand Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. and Israel’s use of force in tracking. militants.
The Biden administration is under pressure from progressive Democrats to punish Israel for its policies affecting Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and US Jewish groups have expressed concern over Netanyahu’s proposals for the courts. .
The White House said Biden discussed the judicial overhaul with Netanyahu in a phone call last week.
Netanyahu talks about an unbreakable alliance
In Israel, strained ties with the US can reflect poorly on a prime minister – but it can also look like Washington’s capitulation.
Netanyahu tried to write off the dispute in his isolated speech Wednesday at the Biden administration’s Summit for Democracy, saying “the alliance between the world’s greatest democracy and a strong, proud and independent that democracy – Israel – at the heart of the Middle East will not be shaken.”
The senior Israeli official told reporters that US officials did not engage with Israel in important conversations about the content of the law.
Netanyahu’s coalition is now negotiating with opposition politicians to try to reach a consensus on a judicial overhaul before parliament returns to session in late April.
Later Wednesday, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby emphasized the long, friendly relationship between the two countries and Biden and Netanyahu, who he said have known each other for 40 years. He said the US was pleased with Netanyahu’s promises to negotiate with opponents of his court proposals.
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