Israhelli minister accuses Biden of working against Bibi

[yankeedoodle]

As protests rage across Israel, Diaspora minister accuses Biden of colluding with Israeli opposition and 'inflaming' unrest

https://www.jta.org/2023/07/11/israel/as-protests-rage-across-israel-diaspora-minister-accuses-biden-of-colluding-with-israeli-opposition-and-inflaming-unrest

Israel's minister of Diaspora affairs accused the Biden administration of working in cahoots with the Israeli parliamentary opposition to inflame the antigovernment protests now sweeping the country.

The accusation, made Tuesday morning in an interview on Kol BaRama, a haredi Orthodox radio station, came as crowds of protesters mounted demonstrations and shows of civil disobedience across Israel on what they are terming a "Day of Disruption." Protesters have blocked major highways, burned tires and clashed with police, some of whom have been mounted on horses or used water cannons on the crowds. Dozens of protesters have been arrested. Further protests are due to take place at Ben-Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and elsewhere.

The protests have been spurred by a vote early Tuesday morning in Israel's parliament, the Knesset, that advanced a bill to limit the power of the Supreme Court. The measure is one piece of a proposed judicial overhaul, introduced by the right-wing government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, that aims to sap much of the court's power and independence.

According to Israeli news reports on the interview, Chikli was responding to comments Biden made recently criticizing extremism in Netanyahu's government and urging moderation in the judicial overhaul. He accused the president of collaboration with Netanyahu's political opponents, including centrist lawmaker Yair Lapid, though he did not appear to provide any evidence to back up that claim.

"President Biden's statements are scheduled with Lapid and Ehud Barak," Chikli said, referring to the former Israeli prime minister who has become an outspoken voice against the judicial reform. "Biden's circle coordinates with them every time they want to inflame the protests in Israel."

Chikli's comments amount to an allegation that Biden has crossed red lines in international affairs. While Biden has indicated displeasure with the judicial reforms, it is taboo for foreign governments to meddle directly in another country's domestic politics. Chikli is also suggesting that Biden is trying to stoke unrest in Israel.

The allegation is far from the first provocative statement or action by Chikli since he became Diaspora minister near the beginning of the year. While in New York for a pro-Israel parade last month, Chikli made a face at protesters that included what looked to many to be an obscene gesture (which he said he did not mean to make). While defending the incident on Israeli television soon afterward, Chikli called the liberal Israel lobby J Street a "hostile" organization.

In February, he responded to criticism of the overhaul by U.S. Ambassador Tom Nides by telling the diplomat to "mind your own business." And in May, he praised Twitter owner Elon Musk after Musk posted statements deemed by many, including another Israeli official, to be antisemitic. He came to his position having previously made statements deriding Reform Jews and LGBTQ people.

[yankeedoodle]

US Envoy to Israel: Israelis Want Us to Interfere in 'Their Business'     
https://www.palestinechronicle.com/us-envoy-to-israel-israelis-want-us-to-interfere-in-their-business/

The reference was made in the context of the ongoing Israeli mass protests and the so-called judicial reforms, which rightwing Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to implement.

Nides, who will be stepping down from his post after nearly two years as Washington's envoy, had an ominous message to Israel just before his departure.

Impossible Not to Interfere

In the interview, published Monday, July 10, Nides revealed that he had spoken to Netanyahu, and urged him to slow down the planned judicial overhaul.

He spoke about the fact that, historically, the US had a policy of not interfering in Israel's domestic affairs, but divisions and concerns over the judicial overhaul have made it impossible to stay on the side-lines.

Nides came under criticism earlier this year for remarks about the far-right government led by Netanyahu.

Senior members of the Israeli government told him to refrain from meddling in Israel's internal affairs.

"I think most Israelis want the United States to be in their business," Nides told the Journal. "With that, sometimes comes a modicum of a price, which is articulating when we think things are going off the rails."

The main concern for Nides is how Israel will be perceived if the controversial bill is rushed through.

"Rushing things through that ultimately could have huge implications, at least perception-wise, about what makes Israel great," is a primary concern for the administration of President Joe Biden, Nides said.

Nides clarified his remark by adding that what made "Israel great" are its democratic institutions, which US officials often tout when defending Israel in international forums.

Though Israel is an Occupying Power, often accused of racial apartheid, Washington has maintained that Israel is a democratic state, has the right to 'defend itself' and that Tel Aviv and Washington share such values as democracy, human rights and respect for the law.

Palestinians, and most of the international community disagree.

Netanyahu's Reforms

Washington's controversial bill to overhaul Israel's judiciary advanced through the first of three hearings in the Knesset — parliament.

One of the main contentions about the bill is that limitations will be imposed on the power of the judiciary to hold elected members of the Knesset in check through the "reasonableness" test.

The principal grants power to the judiciary to throw out legislation that judges consider to be unreasonable.

Under Israel's unicameral system, wherein there is only one parliamentary chamber, no constitutional restraint on government policy will remain if the bill becomes law.

Such an eventuality is likely to be disastrous for advocates of Israel in the West, who have long championed the idea that Israel can always find the balance between racial apartheid and democracy.