By Matt Spetalnick
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House on Monday called it “unfortunate” that the Israeli parliament ratified part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s contested judicial overhaul plan and urged work toward a broad consensus with the opposition.
U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration reiterated its long-standing concerns after Israel’s Knesset approved the first bill that limits the Supreme Court’s powers, despite months of street protests as well as appeals from the U.S. and other countries to hold off on such a move.
“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,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
“It is unfortunate that the vote today took place with the slimmest possible majority,” she added.
The amendment passed by a 64-to-0 vote, backed by lawmakers of Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist coalition after opposition members abandoned the session in protest.
Biden, who has had frosty relations with Netanyahu compared with former U.S. President Donald Trump, finally invited the prime minister last week for an official U.S. visit later this year. But U.S. officials have yet to set a date or concur with Israeli statements that they would meet at the White House as soon as September.
Biden had delayed extending the invitation out of concern over what aides said were Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul plan and Jewish settlement construction in the occupied West Bank.
The U.S. president has said Netanyahu must maintain Israel’s independent judiciary as crucial to democracy, but there have been no signs Biden’s criticism has affected other key areas such as military and intelligence cooperation between the two nations.
“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,” Jean-Pierre said.
“The United States will continue to support the efforts of President (Isaac) Herzog and other Israeli leaders as they seek to build a broader consensus through political dialogue,” she said.
(Reporting By Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
