Politico
Biden Finds His Limits on Israel
President Joe Biden asked Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu to back off a judicial overhaul plan, but that wasn’t what made him think twice.
The political crisis engulfing Israel is exposing the limits of American influence on the country — limits that are, to some degree, self-imposed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s effort to overhaul Israel’s judiciary is the most direct cause of the recent chaos — prompting huge protests and strikes, with even Israeli military members speaking out in opposition.
Netanyahu’s goal: make changes to Israel’s judicial system that would, among other things, let Israeli lawmakers override court rulings — a move that critics fear will badly damage Israeli democracy.
Over the weekend, Netanyahu fired his defense minister for opposing the overhaul — sparking more protests and exposing cracks in the ruling coalition. On Monday, as more coalition members reportedly threatened to quit, Netanyahu announced he was putting the overhaul on hold and would seek a compromise measure.
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