Biden says Netanyahu must stop judicial reform: NYT
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US President Joe Biden calls on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to put an end to the judicial reform law.
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Police deploy a water cannon to disperse Israelis who blocked the "Ayalon" Highway to protest against plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to overhaul the judicial system, in "Tel Aviv", occupied Palestine, Tuesday, July 18, 2023 (AP)
Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must stop the judicial reform legislation and build a broad consensus within "Israel", US President Joe Biden told The New York Times on Wednesday.
This follows talks between Biden and Netanyahu that place on Monday, with the US leader inviting the Israeli premier to the White House, the first since the latter returned to office.
Biden advised Netanyahu "not to rush" and asserted his belief that "the best outcome is to continue to seek the broadest possible consensus here."
Biden also told The New York Times that he "respect[s] for the enduring protests, saying they are a direct plea for the Israeli premier not to pass "anything this important without a broad consensus."
Last week, Israeli journalist Barak Ravid tweeted that a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council told him, "We urge authorities in Israel to protect & respect the right of peaceful assembly."
Ravid suggested that "the White House statement is very unusual when it comes to an ally like Israel."
The US statement "shows the growing concern of the Biden administration about the escalating internal unrest" in "Israel" and its consequences on the so-called "Israeli democracy".
Ravid cited the White House National Security Council spokesperson as saying that "the Biden administration continues to urge the Israeli government to stop the unilateral legislation process and seek a consensus-based approach toward judicial reform."
It is noteworthy that in late March, Biden urged Netanyahu to "walk away" from the judicial overhaul legislation, warning that "Israel" "cannot continue down this road."
When asked whether he would be inviting Netanyahu to the White House, the US President said, "Not in the near term."
Read more: Herzog visit to US legitimizes Washington's snubbing of Netanyahu
Just this Saturday, Israelis took to the streets for the 28th consecutive week to protest the proposed judicial amendments put forward by Netanyahu's far-right government.
Thousands of people took to the streets in numerous settlements, with the Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth reporting that there were as many as 100,000 settlers in "Tel Aviv" alone, and Walla! saying there were 20,000 in occupied Yafa.
This comes in light of demonstrations in a series of Israeli settlements and occupied cities, including Haifa, "Rishon LeTsiyon", "Rehovot", and "Afula", which were held in conjunction with the main demonstration in Kaplan Street in "Tel Aviv", where it is set for former Israeli Justice Minister Dan Meridor and professor Shikma Bressler, as well as journalists to address the crowds rallying in protest of the government's actions.
Political divisions in "Israel" continue to deepen between the government and the opposition. "Israel" has witnessed several protests by thousands of settlers against the occupation's government in which demonstrators express their opposition to the judicial reforms it plans to enact
The opposition has demanded the complete cancellation of these amendments despite the government's decision to temporarily suspend them.
The protests, which began in December last year, saw the participation of tens of thousands of settlers and later transformed into massive demonstrations where around a quarter of a million settlers took to the streets against Netanyahu's plans that set to undermine occupation courts and further empower security and military institutions.
