US administration praises pause of Israel’s judicial reforms legislation

U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration spoke out in support of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to pause the judiciary-reform legislation navigating the Israeli parliament’s current legislative session. 

“We welcome this announcement as an opportunity to create additional time and space for compromise,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told the press. “A compromise is precisely what we have been calling for.” 

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides also praised the decision, speaking to Israel’s Army Radio Tuesday morning. 

“I congratulate the prime minister on the announcement. As President Biden has said several times, we are in favor of compromise and dialogue,” Nides said. 

In the same interview, Nides said Netanyahu would be invited to the White House in the near future. 

“He will obviously come and I’m sure it will be relatively soon, I guess after Passover. There is no question whether he will come and meet Biden. They have been friends for 40 years,” the ambassador said. 

The White House previously said there was no connection between Israel’s judiciary-reform legislation and the lack of an invitation to Israel’s leader.

According to an article by Reuters, a U.S. administration has never waited so long to invite an Israeli prime minister to visit the White House after an election victory.

Speaking to Army Radio, Nides praised the strength of Israel’s democracy, including the way anti-government protests have proceeded over the last several months.

“For 12 weeks, hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people have come to protest, virtually nobody has been hurt, very few have been arrested – this is, live and well, a democracy,” the ambassador said. 

He also noted the relative lack of violence during the protests by people on both sides, saying, “It’s something we can all watch with admiration.” 

U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D), and Mitt Romney (R) issued a joint statement of support following Netanyahu’s announcement. 

“Shared democratic values have long underpinned the U.S.-Israel relationship, and we hope this delay provides an opportunity to work towards a compromise and de-escalation of the current crisis,” the statement said. 

Later this week, Netanyahu will make a virtual appearance at the U.S. State Department’s Democracy Summit. 

Turkey and Hungary did not receive invitations to the Democracy Summit, largely due to anti-democratic measures taken by their governments over the last couple of years.