German Chancellor Olaf Scholz today expressed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu his concerns about the judicial reform being promoted by his government and welcomed President Isaac Herzog’s proposals on the matter. Netanyahu dismissed the criticism and assured that Israel “is and will remain a liberal democracy”.

“The federal government is watching the so-called judicial reform in Israel with great concern. The independence of the judiciary is a valuable commodity,” Olaf Soltz said during a press conference given by the two leaders after their meeting in the Chancellery, and praised Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s compromise proposal.

“As friends of Israel, we would like the last word not yet to be spoken,” he said, adding that from the German point of view, “the greatest possible consensus is desirable, but there will be no interference in Israel’s internal affairs.”

On the same occasion, Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that Israel “is and will remain a liberal democracy” and stated that “there is an independent judiciary, which, according to many, has excessive powers.” When the reform is completed, the Israeli prime minister continued, Israel “will have a judicial system comparable to that of other countries such as Germany.” He assured that there is no risk of a break with democracy, as the opposition fears.

However, the president of the German Central Jewish Council, Josef Schuster, also criticized the reforms being promoted by the Israeli government today: “I expressed to the prime minister my concern that his government is increasingly dividing Israeli society and risking credibility in democratic Israel,” Schuster said.

Referring to the recent terrorist attacks in Israel and the West Bank, the German chancellor expressed solidarity with the families of the victims, while stressing his concern about the further escalation of the conflict in the Middle East. He reaffirmed Germany’s permanent position on two independent states in the region.

“We are disappointed by the blind violence. This must be fought consistently in accordance with the rule of law, but not with uncontrolled complacency,” the chancellor said, and also called on Israel to stop further settlement.

Regarding relations with Iran, he stressed that Berlin fully agrees with Israel that Tehran should never acquire nuclear weapons. “However, the top priority remains a diplomatic solution,” he said. “We will not allow another Holocaust. We are doing everything to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons,” Netanyahu added.

Earlier, both leaders visited the Platform 17 memorial at the Grunewald railway station, from where the first transport of more than 1,000 Jews east to the Łódź Ghetto (Osttransport) began in 1941. In total, more than 50,000 Jews were sent to concentration camps from this station.

The German Railways (DB) erected this memorial in 1998 as a tribute to the victims of Nazism and as a reminder of the role of the railways (Reichsbahn) at that time. Olaf Soltz said that “many people died in this place, and Germany has an obligation not to forget and protect Jewish life in the country and close relations with Israel.” He added that Israel’s security is one of Germany’s main state goals.

Benjamin Netanyahu recalled that even today calls for the extermination of Jews do not stop, which means that Israel must be able to defend itself. He also today spoke about the “reliable friendship” of the two countries and thanked the Chancellor for the “confidential alliance.”

Today, the Israeli Prime Minister was also received by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

However, Netanyahu’s visit to Berlin provoked a backlash, with thousands of citizens demonstrating against him outside the German parliament building and elsewhere in the city. At the center of the criticism is state judicial reform in Israel.

Today’s protests in Berlin are guarded by more than 3,500 police officers. Demonstrations also took place outside the German embassy in Israel. German Ambassador and former government spokesman Steffen Seibert took to the streets and addressed the protesters, trying to explain the position of the German government and the reasons for the Israeli Prime Minister’s visit to Berlin today.

Source: RES-IPE