Israeli Justice Minister Accuses US of Backing Protests in the Country
Israeli Minister of Justice Yariv Levin has been caught on tape allegedly stating that the protest movement in Israel controls the judiciary and the media, among other things. The recordings, released on the Hebrew news site “Walla,” show Levin claiming that the movement has a hold over the Supreme Court, the Attorney General, and the entire financial system of Israel. He also alleges that the United States government cooperates with the protestors. Levin is a strong advocate of judicial reform, which he claims is necessary to take the country forward. However, the proposed changes have been met with resistance, leading to widespread protests and strikes across the country.
The US State Department had previously dismissed similar claims made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s son, Yair, that the US administration supported the protests in Israel. Republican Senator Ted Cruz had echoed Yair Netanyahu’s claims, alleging that Biden administration officials funded anti-government protests in Israel.
The proposed judicial reform aims to limit the powers of the Supreme Court and give the government more say in judicial appointments. The government’s decision to postpone the regulation on March 27 led to mass protests and strikes across Israel. However, the Israeli government is expected to bring the postponed regulation back to parliament this month.
Many right-wing, far-right, and ultra-Orthodox parties support the government’s judicial package, and they held a large demonstration in front of the Israeli Assembly in West Jerusalem on April 27. The government believes that judicial reform is necessary to restore balance and improve the functioning of the judiciary. However, several different interest groups have differing views on the proposed reform, leading to continued protests and tensions across Israel.
