(Washington) The alliance between Israel and the United States is “ unshakeable”, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday during the Democracy Summit convened by US President Joe Biden, critic of his highly contested justice reform .
“Israel and the United States have had occasional differences, but I want to assure you that the alliance between the largest democracy in the world and the strong, proud and independent democracy that is Israel, in the heart of the Middle East, is unshakeable. Nothing can change that,” Netanyahu said at the virtual summit.
The Prime Minister also promised to seek compromise and respect for basic rights, while his government is facing a broad protest movement against his justice reform, for which he announced a pause in the legislative process.
Binyamin Netanyahu also called Joe Biden a “40-year-old friend”.
Despite the criticism, the head of government of Israel assured that his country “was, is and will always remain a strong, proud, solid and lively democracy, a symbol of freedom and shared prosperity in the heart of the Middle East”.
On Tuesday, Joe Biden said on Tuesday that he “hoped” that the Israeli government would “renounce” its justice reform, for which negotiations were underway on Wednesday between the majority and the opposition.
“ They cannot continue on this path and I think I have made myself understood ”, said the American president on the sidelines of a visit to North Carolina.
The Israeli prime minister was speaking on the occasion of the “ Democracy Summit ” organized by the American president over three days, mainly remotely.
“In Israel, within this solid democracy, there is a very intense public debate. And the debate is about how to protect a good democracy,” Netanyahu said again.
He acknowledged that critics of the reform have “valid” arguments that they do not want a reform that would involve “alteration and limitation of civil liberties”.
“We must be sure that we are moving the pendulum of an all-powerful judicial authority – which is different from an independent judicial authority”, he declared, wondering “ how to ensure that justice remains independent and balance the need to strengthen executive and legislative powers and, at the same time, to protect individual rights”.
“ I think we can achieve this balance ”, assured the Prime Minister.
