(Washington) US Vice President Kamala Harris has once again called on Israel to guarantee the independence of its judicial system, after months of demonstrations against the justice reform wanted by the government of Benyamin Netanyahu.
Mme Harris spoke at the gala hosted by the Israeli Embassy at a Washington museum to mark 75 years since the proclamation of the independence of the State of Israel.
The Vice President pledged to demonstrate “an unfailing commitment to Israel’s security,” while alluding to Mr. Netanyahu’s judicial reform.
“Under President Joe Biden and our administration, America will continue to uphold the values that have been the foundation of the United States-Israel relationship, including the continued consolidation of our democracy,” said she declared.
The values of the two countries are “based on strong institutions, checks and balances and, I would add, an independent judicial system”, underlined Mr.me Harris.
According to the Israeli government, one of the most right-wing in its history, the reform of the judicial system aims, among other things, to rebalance powers by reducing the prerogatives of the Supreme Court, which the executive considers politicized, in favor of Parliament.
But its detractors believe in particular that it risks opening the way to an authoritarian drift.
After huge demonstrations against this reform project, Mr. Netanyahu announced at the end of March a “pause” to give a “chance […] dialogue”, but the mobilization has not run out of steam so far.
Mr. Biden had felt that the Israeli government could not “continue on this path” and hoped that the government would “give up” on this reform.
Mme Harris also renewed his support for an independent Palestinian state, saying that Israelis and Palestinians should “enjoy equal freedom, prosperity and democracy.”
During this gala, Mme Harris was accompanied by her husband, Doug Emhoff, the first Jewish spouse of a president or vice-president of the United States.
She said that in her youth, she collected donations for the Jewish National Fund, intended to develop land for Israeli communities.
“Today, under the leadership of President Joe Biden, the United States has an unbreakable bond with the State of Israel,” she said.