Eli Cohen, Israeli Foreign MinisterEuropa Press
Israel’s Foreign Minister, Eli Cohen, expresses his conviction that “that was not the intention” of the President of the Spanish Government
The processing of the controversial judicial reform promoted by the government, which has generated a historic protest in the country, is paralyzed
Before the Socialist International, Pedro Sánchez stated that “Socialist internationalists support the people of Israel with solidarity”
The government of Israel, through its foreign minister, So Cohenasked this Sunday the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, that does not decide for the Israeli people.
“No foreign official will decide for the Israeli peopleand I am sure that this was not the intention of Sánchez”the Foreign Minister, recently arrived precisely from a visit to Spain where he met, among others, with his counterpart José Manuel Albares, has made it known on his Twitter account.
For the opponents of the reform, there are no red lines, including the attempt to harm the international status. No foreign entity will decide for the public in Israel and I am sure that Sanchez has no such intention. As someone who supports the reform, I have no doubt that it will strengthen democracy and balance the authorities.
— Eli Cohen Eli Cohen (@elicoh1) April 29, 2023
The minister was referring to the video broadcast in front of some 200,000 demonstrators in the last protest last night against the reform gathered in the streets of Tel Aviv in which Sánchez, also president of the Socialist International, recalled that it “has always fought for freedom, equality, justice and democracy”, “values that we cannot take for granted and that we have to encourage and defend on a daily basis”.
“As such, now, as always, socialist internationalists stand in solidarity with the people of Israel. Dear friends, you will always find ways to fight for democracy”Sanchez asserted.
Demonstration in Tel Aviv against judicial reform, this SaturdayAnadolu Agency
In response, Cohen defended his personal support for the reform proposal, as a member of the main party in the Israeli government coalition, the Likud, and attacked the demonstrators when he understood that “they have no limits whatsoever, including attempts to damage our (Israel’s) international image”.
“As a supporter of the reform, I have no doubt that it will strengthen democracy and balance the branches of government.”it is finished.
It should be remembered that the judicial reform is currently paralyzed in the middle of a consensus process organized by the Israeli prime minister and main promoter of it, Benjamin Netanyahuon the recommendation of the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog.
Other international leaders, such as the President of the United States, Joe Biden, or the French president, Emmanuel Macron, have also expressed their concern with this proposal that, broadly speaking, would grant the government unusual powers over the actions of the country’s courts.
However, this Sunday the ordinary sessions of the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, are scheduled to resume, and the opposition fears that the parties that support Netanyahu’s coalition, particularly the extreme right, will reopen the legislative process of the reform.
