UPDATE - Germany ‘greatly concerned’ by Israel’s planned judicial overhaul

UPDATES WITH REMARKS BY NETANYAHU

BERLIN (AA) - Germany’s chancellor on Thursday voiced concern about the Israeli government’s plans to overhaul the country's legal system.

Speaking at a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Berlin, Olaf Scholz underlined that broad consensus is needed for such major reforms.

“As we are a close friend of Israel, and as we share democratic values, we are monitoring this debate very closely. And I must not hide from you the fact that we're greatly concerned about this,” Scholz said.

The German chancellor underlined that the independence of the judiciary is a “great democratic value,” and called on Netanyahu to consider proposals put forward by Israeli President Isaac Herzog to resolve the societal rift.

“It is good that President Herzog talked to a number of societal actors in order to counter a further polarization of Israel, and to maintain social peace,” Scholz said.

“President Herzog also submitted concrete proposals to solve this situation, and as friends of Israel, we would hope that these proposals will be considered,” he added.

In recent weeks, tens of thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets to protest Netanyahu’s plans for judicial overhaul, seen by the opposition as an attempt to reduce the powers of the judicial authority in favor of the executive authority.

The planned change would severely limit the power of the Supreme Court, give the government the power to choose judges, and end the appointment of legal advisers to ministries by the attorney general.

- Netanyahu defends plan

At the news conference, Netanyahu dismissed criticisms as “absurd” and defended his government’s reform plan.

”If the democratic principle that we're about to abolish is that judges do not elect judges, do not have a veto power in electing judges, then Germany's not following democratic principles, because judges do not have a veto power in Germany,” he said.

Netanyahu also claimed that during 16 years in power, he has always taken steps to liberalize the country.

“I've helped liberalize the Israeli system, liberalize its economy, liberalize its way of life, advanced the rights of LGBTs,” he said.

Netanyahu claimed that by the judicial reform, they will not abolish democratic principles, but bring the necessary balance between the branches of the government.

”Israel is a liberal democracy and will remain a liberal democracy,” he said.