Israel’s former prime minister urges world leaders to isolate Netanyahu
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Tel Aviv: Israel’s former prime minister Ehud Olmert on Thursday urged world leaders to isolate the country’s current prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. He said Netanyahu was moving forward with a plan to dismantle Israel’s justice system. Israel’s close allies America and Germany have also appealed to Netanyahu to exercise restraint.
The rare call for restraint and international intervention comes at a time when thousands of people are taking to the streets in Israel to protest Netanyahu’s plan. If Netanyahu’s proposal to change the judicial system goes into effect, the Israeli parliament will have the right to overturn Supreme Court decisions and appoint judges. Widespread demonstrations are being held in Israel against this. Olmert, who was Israel’s prime minister from 2006 to 2009, told The Associated Press that world leaders should refuse to meet with Netanyahu.
He particularly appealed to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is expected to host Netanyahu in the coming weeks. Olmert said, “I urge the leaders of Israel’s friendly countries not to hold a meeting with Netanyahu. Olmert said he was aware that his call as Israel’s former prime minister was “quite extraordinary, but it was the need of the hour.” He said, “I think the current government of Israel is completely anti-national. Meanwhile, leaders of the country’s five opposition parties held a joint press conference and asked Netanyahu to accept the president’s compromise offer.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid said he “welcomes the president’s proposal”. President Isaac Herzog offered the deal to Netanyahu in a televised address. Herzog said that he had held extensive consultations with various sections of society, which concluded that an agreement was necessary to preserve Israel’s existence. Meanwhile, in a joint press conference with Netanyahu in Berlin, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed concern about the plan and praised Israel’s president’s efforts to achieve “a broad, basic consensus”.
In the presence of Netanyahu, Scholz said, “Israel is a close friend with whom we share democratic values. We are following this debate closely and I cannot hide the fact that we are following it with great interest.
He said, “The independence of the judiciary is a valuable democratic strength. Netanyahu indicated that Scholz’s talk had no effect on him. He told reporters, “I am fully aware of what is happening in the country, but we need to bring something which is in line with the mandate we have got.
Meanwhile, the White House also praised Herzog’s efforts. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said, “The greatness of our democracy … and clearly the greatness of Israel’s democracy … is based on strong institutions, including checks and balances, that provide an independent Promote Judiciary. He added that Herzog’s efforts “are consistent with these same democratic principles.”
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