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Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) National President Morton A. Klein released the following statement:
Biden’s Latest Improper Interference in Israel’s Proposed Internal Democratic Judicial Reforms: Biden stated that he hopes that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu “walks away” from the Israeli government’s proposed judicial reforms. In addition, the same day, Biden stated that he was “very concerned” about the health of democracy in Israel; that he was “concerned that they get this straight. They cannot continue down this road.”; that “hopefully, the prime minister will act in a way that he is going to try to work out some genuine compromise. But that remains to be seen.”; and that Biden will not be inviting Prime Minister Netanyahu to the White House “in the near term.”
Also, when Biden was asked about not interfering with Israel’s domestic politics, Biden inarticulately claimed that he didn’t want to interfere, that he doesn’t interfere [which is it?], but then revealed that he was making his position clear to Israel, and implied that the “American Jewish position” was similar to Biden’s stance.
Biden stated: “We don’t want to interfere. It’s a little bit like if all the things — things are exploding in America. What do you think would happen if, all of a sudden — well, I know — I’m not going to even speculate. Anyway, we’re not interfering. They know my position. They know America’s position. They know the American Jewish position, the Amer- — anyway.’ (White House transcript of Biden’s remarks before Air Force One departure on March 28, 2023.)
Biden’s statements criticizing Israel’s judicial reforms, while claiming that he doesn’t want to interfere or doesn’t interfere, were yet another hypocritical example of his administration’s improper and misleading interference in Israel’s domestic affairs.
Biden’s claims that his administration is not interfering are also belied by his U.S. State Department’s funding of the so-called “Movement for Quality Government,” which has been organizing the disruptive and even violent protests against the Israeli government’s proposed democratic judicial reforms. (See “ZOA Condemns U.S. State Dept. Funding Anti-Israel Protest Organizers in Israel,” Mar. 13, 2023.)
Biden’s interference and claims to be “very concerned” about the health of Israeli democracy are also particularly egregious because, as ZOA and others have previously explained in detail, Israel’s proposed judicial reforms would make Israel more democratic. The reforms would protect the Israeli public from a self-appointed Israeli Supreme Court that ignores Israel’s democratically-enacted laws and instead overrules and ignores Israeli law and makes decisions based on the judges’ personal whims as to what is “reasonable.” (See, e.g., “Israeli Judicial Reforms Are Good for Democracy and Rule of Law,” by Morton Klein & Elizabeth Berney, Esq., Jerusalem Post, Feb. 13, 2023.)
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