Sunak Stresses ‘Democratic Values’ as He Challenges Netanyahu Over Controversial Israel Legislation

Netanyahu keen to focus on 'the Iranian issue'

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (L) welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) to Downing Street in London on March 24, 2023. (PA)

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak challenged the visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reminding him of the importance of “democratic values,” during a meeting in London on Friday, according to Downing Street.

The meeting was held in private and appears to have been largely cordial, with Downing Street releasing a statement saying, “The Prime Minister stressed the importance of upholding the democratic values that underpin our relationship, including in the proposed judicial reforms in Israel.”

On Thursday a bill stipulating a sitting prime minister can only be declared unfit and forced to step down with the agreement of three-quarters of Cabinet ministers was passed by 61 votes to 47 in the Israeli Knesset.

Netanyahu, 73, is awaiting trial accused of fraud, accepting bribes, and breach of trust, but he denies any wrongdoing and claims the prosecution is part of a conspiracy by a left-wing alliance of the Israeli media and the judiciary.

If he were to be convicted he would have almost certainly have been ousted as prime minister, but following the passing of the new bill, a criminal conviction would not affect his ability to be prime minister.

The bill passed on Thursday is just the first step in judicial reforms that Netanyahu’s government is planning. He wants to give the government the choice of judicial appointments and limit the ability of Israel’s Supreme Court to block legislation passed by the Knesset.

In Israel’s general election in November, Netanyahu’s Likud Party won 32 out of the 120 Knesset seats but it was able to form a coalition government with the right-wing Religious Zionist Party, which more than doubled its representation in the Knesset.

Earlier this month an estimated 200,000 people protested in Tel Aviv against the proposed reforms.

Netanyahu has said the reforms would restore the right balance between the different branches of government.

Demonstrators wave Israeli flags during a protest as British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Downing Street, London, on March 24, 2023. (PA)

‘He’s Destroying Democracy in Israel’

As he arrived at 10 Downing Street for talks with Sunak on Thursday, dozens of protesters waved Israeli flags and placards and shouted “busha,” the Hebrew word for “shame.”

One of the demonstrators, Chamutal Isaacs, who moved to London from Tel Aviv in 1989, said the reforms would put “an end to any sort of democracy in Israel.”

She said: “I want Rishi Sunak to say to him he must lose his chair, he can’t continue to be the prime minister of Israel. He’s destroying democracy in Israel.”

A Downing Street spokesman said Sunak had raised the question of “international concern at growing tensions in the West Bank and the risk of undermining efforts towards the two state solution” to the Israel–Palestine conflict.

Sunak said Netanyahu invited him to Israel and the British prime minister said he looked forward to visiting at the “earliest opportunity.”

Netanyahu arrived in London later than originally planned as he was forced to deal with mass protests in Israel which have seen major roads blocked and demonstrators clashing with police.

Netanyahu’s office said he wanted to focus on “the Iranian issue” in his talks with Sunak, in the hope of forming “a united international front against Iran in order to stop its nuclear programme.”

A statement from Netanyahu’s office said, “The two are also expected to discuss strengthening the strategic ties between Israel and the United Kingdom and increasing security and intelligence cooperation.”

Netanyahu was also expected to meet Home Secretary Suella Braverman to discuss the challenge of “global terrorism.”

When Netanyahu became prime minister in December, he told the Knesset “ending the Israeli–Arab conflict” was his top priority, along with thwarting Iran’s nuclear programme and building up Israel’s military capacity.

But critics have said his agenda has been drawn to the right by his new coalition partners.

Coalition Partners Opposed to Palestinian State

The leader of the Religious Zionism Party, Bezalel Smotrich, and Itamar Ben-Gvir, the leader of another right-wing coalition partner, Jewish Power, are both opposed to Palestinian statehood.

At the weekend Smotrich gave a speech in Paris in which he said, “There is no such thing as Palestinians because there is no such thing as a Palestinian people.”

He went on to say: “The Palestinian nation has existed for less than 100 years. I ask you who was the first Palestinian king, what language do they have, was there ever a Palestinian coin? Is there a Palestinian history or culture? There isn’t. There is no such thing as a Palestinian nation.”

Smotrich gave his speech from a podium which carried a map of Greater Israel, which appeared to include most of present-day Jordan.

Afterwards the Jordanian government protested and called in the Israeli ambassador in Amman.

Israel’s foreign ministry then, without referencing Smotrich’s speech, wrote on Twitter: “Israel is committed to the 1994 peace agreement with Jordan. There has been no change in the position of the state of Israel, which recognizes the territorial integrity of the Hashemite kingdom.”

PA Media contributed to this report.