
The United States on Monday called on Israeli authorities to ensure citizens can peacefully protest, after violence was recorded during protests against the judicial reform.
“It is clear there is significant debate and discussion in Israel on judicial reform. Such debates are a healthy part of a vibrant democracy,” said a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council.
“We urge authorities to protect and respect the right of peaceful assembly,” added the spokesperson.
Earlier on Monday, the United States expressed disappointment over the fact that the first phase of the judicial reform passed in the Knesset without a broad consensus.
“As a lifelong friend of Israel, President Biden has publicly and privately expressed his views that major changes in a democracy to be enduring must have as broad a consensus as possible. It is unfortunate that the vote today took place with the slimmest possible majority,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in a statement.
“We understand talks are ongoing and likely to continue over the coming weeks and months to forge a broader compromise even with the Knesset in recess. The United States will continue to support the efforts of President Herzog and other Israeli leaders as they seek to build a broader consensus through political dialogue,” she added.
Stephanie Hallett, the interim Chargé d’Affaires at the US Mission to Israel, retweeted Jean-Pierre’s statement and wrote, “As President Biden said following today’s vote, we will continue to support the efforts of President Herzog and other Israeli leaders as they seek to build a broader consensus through political dialogue. I was honored to meet President Herzog earlier today following his visit to Washington.”
The Biden administration has been very vocal thus far about the judicial reform process in Israel.
On Sunday, before the vote in the Knesset, Biden called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to move forward with the planned vote.
From the perspective of Israel’s friends in the United States, “it looks like the current judicial reform proposal is becoming more divisive, not less," Biden said in a statement to Axios’ Barak Ravid.
“Given the range of threats and challenges confronting Israel right now, it doesn’t make sense for Israeli leaders to rush this — the focus should be on pulling people together and finding consensus," the President added.
Last week, Biden held a telephone conversation with Netanyahu. After that conversation, senior analyst Thomas Friedman published an opinion article in The New York Times, in which he wrote that Biden implored Netanyahu not to advance the legislation of the judicial reform without even the semblance of a national consensus.