Jewish Americans press Israeli leaders to compromise on judicial system overhaul

The arrival in Israel of some 30 leaders from the Jewish Federations of North America marked a rare foray by the American Jewish community into domestic Israeli affairs

Netanyahu’s allies launched the overhaul in January days after taking office. The programme aims to weaken Israel’s Supreme Court

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Israelis take part during an anti-government protest at Ben Gurion Airport, ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s flight to Germany on Wednesday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 2:20am, 16 Mar 2023Updated: 3:47am, 16 Mar 2023

A senior delegation of Jewish American leaders on Wednesday paid a flash visit to Israel to urge leaders to find a compromise over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s contentious plan to overhaul the country’s judicial system.

The arrival of some 30 leaders from the Jewish Federations of North America marked a rare foray by the American Jewish community into domestic Israeli affairs and reflected concerns that the turmoil inside Israel could spill over to Jewish communities overseas.

Eric Fingerhut, the president and chief executive of the Jewish Federations, said the 24-hour visit, coming at short notice, illustrated the “grave concern and worry” the Israeli debate has raised among American Jews.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, centre, at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in Jerusalem on Wednesday. Photo: AP

Netanyahu’s allies, a collection of ultra-Orthodox and ultranationalist parties, launched the overhaul in January days after taking office.

The programme aims to weaken Israel’s Supreme Court and would give Netanyahu’s allies control over the appointment of the nation’s judges.

They say the plan is needed to curb an outsize influence of unelected judges over national policy. But critics say the plan will destroy Israel’s fragile system of checks and balances and that Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption charges, has a conflict of interest.

Critics also fear that the rights of LGBT people and minority groups could be harmed – issues that have raised concerns among American Jews.

Tens of thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets each week to protest the sweeping overhaul.