In reaction to remarks made by US President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel is a sovereign nation that does not make decisions based on pressure from abroad.
On Tuesday, Biden expressed his optimism that Netanyahu would reverse the judicial changes that had sparked demonstrations in Israel and a political crisis for the country’s leadership.
Netanyahu retaliated early on Wednesday, saying, “Israel is a sovereign country that makes its decisions by the will of its people and not based on pressures from abroad, including from the closest of friends.”
He stated that the goal of his government was to achieve reforms “via broad consensus.”
As someone who has known President Biden for over 40 years, Netanyahu praised his dedication to Israel over the years.
Israel ‘cannot continue down this road’
Biden previously issued a warning to Israel that it “cannot continue” to push for highly contentious judicial reforms that are currently on pause and that have caused months of unrest and criticism among Western allies.
They cannot continue down this path, and I’ve sort of made that clear, said Biden to reporters during a visit to North Carolina. “Like many strong supporters of Israel, I’m very worried.
Biden said, “Hopefully, the prime minister [Benjamin Netanyahu] will act in a way that he will try to work out some genuine compromise, but that remains to be seen,” and he added that he was not planning to extend an invitation to the Israeli president to the White House, at least “not in the near term.”
Israel has been beset by unprecedented protests and worker strikes against plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition to overhaul the judiciary. Netanyahu on Monday said he would delay the overhaul in order to open talks with the plan’s opponents.
But there is no sign either side is ready to back down when parliament meets again next month, or that the 73-year-old Likud party leader can find a compromise that would keep him in power without tearing Israeli society further apart.
Late on Tuesday, Israel’s most far-right government ever and opposition parties ended a “positive” first meeting on controversial judiciary reforms that sparked a general strike and mass protests, in the country’s most severe domestic crisis in years.
“After about an hour and a half, the meeting, which took place in a positive spirit, came to an end,” President Isaac Herzog’s office said.
“Tomorrow, President Isaac Herzog will continue the series of meetings,” it added.
His office described talks between working teams representing the ruling coalition, Yesh Atid and the National Unity Party — two centrist parties — as “a first dialogue meeting”.
“We thank the president for opening his house to the negotiation process for the benefit of the citizens of Israel,” Yesh Atid tweeted.
Source – TRT World
