Biden Concerned for Israeli Judicial Plan

By Rachel Nadelmann ‘25
Protests in Israel over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial reform bill has elicited concern from US President Joe Biden over Israel’s democracy. The reform bill, which would strip power away from the Supreme Court and grant the Knesset the ability to appoint judges and override court rulings, has caused serious political turbulence over the possibility of altering Israel’s democratic foundation. 

Previously, Netanyahu declined a compromise over the bill suggested by Israeli President Isaac Herzog. President Biden now hopes to persuade Netanyahu to change his mind. 
    Biden spoke to Netanyahu over the phone, saying that “Democratic values have always been, and must remain, a hallmark of the U.S.-Israel relationship.” The President also offered his diplomatic support to help make a compromise on the judicial reform plan that factored in democratic values. Biden has stated “Like many strong supporters of Israel I’m very concerned. I’m concerned that they get this straight. They cannot continue down this road. I’ve sort of made that clear, hopefully the prime minister will act in a way that he can work out some genuine compromise.”
    Netanyahu responded by assuring Biden that the plan would be carried out with Israeli citizens in mind, also stating that the reforms truly seek to provide for the will of the people that are not being fairly represented in the Supreme Court. 
    However, a large majority of Israeli citizens do not believe Netanyahu’s true intentions for the reform plan are to help the people, but rather himself, as the bill grants the Prime Minister’s government far more power. Additionally, as Netanyahu is under indictment for corruption, this is seen as attempted tampering with the execution of justice. 
“I am impressed that Biden stood strong in his criticism of Netanyahu’s undemocratic attempts to override the judiciary’s authority,” said sophomore Shayne Cytrynbaum. “While it is clear that judicial reform of some sort is needed, Netanyahu’s proposal dangerously reflects a growing trend of democratic backsliding occurring in countries like Hungary, Poland, Turkey, India, and Mexico, in which checks and balances are eroded in favor of populist authoritarianism. While of course we should support Israel as a state, we must have the courage to stand up when its actions are unjust, as any form of support for any country is conditional on its behavior.”