West News Wire: The White House referred to it as “unfortunate” after Israel’s parliament approved a measure limiting judicial authority and authorising extensive changes to the legal system.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that President Biden, a devoted supporter of Israel, has “expressed his views that major changes in a democracy to be enduring must have as broad a consensus as possible.”
She continued, “It is unfortunate that the vote today was carried by the thinnest margin possible.
The “Reasonable Standard Law” was supported by legislators in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ultranationalist coalition government and passed by a vote of 64 to 0. Before the voting, opposition participants stormed out of the room while yelling “shame” and “government of destruction.”
The new law abolishes Israel’s “reasonableness standard”, eliminating the Supreme Court’s ability to block government decisions it deems unreasonable.
It is one of several laws the administration put forth earlier this year in an effort to reform the judicial system in the nation.
Even though the Knesset is on break, Jean-Pierre added, “We understand talks are ongoing and likely to continue over the coming weeks and months to forge a broader compromise.”
As President Herzog and other Israeli leaders work to forge a wider consensus through political discourse, the US will continue to support their efforts.
The American Jewish Committee stated that it was “profoundly disappointed” with the law’s passing. The outfit claimed in a statement that this increased societal divisions in Israel, as shown by the hundreds of thousands of people who have taken to the streets.
At a time when dangers to the Jewish homeland are at an all-time high, the Israeli Defence Forces are divided on judicial reform, according to the statement. It has also damaged the crucial relationship between Israel and the Diaspora Jewry.
“Dramatic changes to Israel’s judicial system should come about through a deliberate and inclusive process that upholds the democratic values of maintaining checks and balances, respecting minority rights and civil liberties, and maintaining essential judicial independence,” the statement reads.
According to a statement from the National Council of Jewish Women, Israelis have been protesting in the streets for the past six months, which culminated in tens of thousands of people marching five days from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem over the weekend.
“We believe in a secure, Jewish, and democratic Israel and the move to limit the power of the Supreme Court’s abilities to provide checks and balances on the government undermines that vision,” the council wrote on Twitter.
