In a bid to pave the way for an anticipated meeting with US President Joe Biden, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly recalibrating his stance on the contentious judicial reforms. Recent sources from Israel’s political circles have reported that the far-right prime minister is willing to partially retract the reform in exchange for progress in the normalisation of relations with Saudi Arabia.
Netanyahu’s relationship with the Biden administration has been tense since his resurgence to power last December at the head of an ultra-right alliance. Though the Israeli prime minister has been reluctant to stand in the way of the likes of convicted hatemonger Itamar Ben-Gvir, he is seeking to restore favour with the US by reconsidering the judicial overhaul.
READ: US proposal to rescue Israel is as offensive as it is ridiculous
Hints of a possible compromise emerged on Monday, according to Washington based news agency Al-Monitor. The agency reported that not only are ongoing discreet talks between President Isaac Herzog’s aide, Ovad Yehezkel, and Netanyahu’s representatives underway, but a compromise has been reached.
Analysts have speculated that the report of a compromise might have been strategically released to give the impression of a win for the protest movement and the Knesset opposition. They suggest that this tactic would pave the way for Netanyahu to secure a high-profile meeting in the Oval Office and possibly even participate in a significant signing event with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman at the White House.
Detractors, especially within Netanyahu’s right-wing base, have voiced their opposition to the compromise. Key coalition members, including the influential Justice Minister Yariv Levin, have publicly dismissed the idea. The compromise primarily aims to retain the Judicial Appointments Committee’s composition and impose an 18-month halt on additional judicial changes.
The scheduled meeting with Biden is high on Netanyahu’s wish list. The Israeli prime minister is hoping to rehabilitate his image in Washington and leverage the news of a potential compromise on judicial reform as a strategy to finalise an agreement with the Saudis.
Yet, the road to Saudi normalisation is not without its obstacles. Yair Lapid, the opposition leader, recently voiced concerns over Saudi Arabia’s potential uranium enrichment, which could be part of the deal. Netanyahu’s own coalition also bears internal disagreements over the very nature of such normalisation.
With the Israeli Supreme Court set to review the contested judicial overhaul and related government decisions, the political climate in Israel remains highly charged. Commentators say that leaks about the ongoing negotiations might be a tactic to sway the court’s decisions.
READ: Fatah condemns Israel’s incitement against PA President Abbas