The planned legislation is "wrong" and threatens the "foundations of democracy," said Herzog in a televised speech on Thursday. It must therefore be withdrawn in favor of a "joint project". For two months there have been violent protests against the judicial reform aimed at by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to the demonstrators, the law planned by the right-wing religious government endangers democracy in the country.
Among other things, the new law would allow Parliament to overturn decisions of the Supreme Court with a simple majority - almost completely removing its power to judicial review of laws. It would also give the government control over the appointment of chief justices - currently being voted on by a panel of politicians, judges and members of the bar association.
Federal President Steinmeier also expressed concern about the Israeli government's plans. "We are also concerned about the government's planned restructuring of the rule of law," said Steinmeier, according to a previously distributed speech, at a reception marking the 50th anniversary of the University of Haifa in Berlin on Friday.
He was "in regular contact with my friend and colleague Isaac Herzog" in Israel, Steinmeier said. He relies "on his intelligent and balancing voice in the Israeli debate". Those who campaigned for understanding and detente, for dialogue, deserve "all our support".
Violence between Israelis and Palestinians also continued amid heightened domestic tensions in Israel. On Friday, a 21-year-old Palestinian man was killed by an Israeli settler in the Dorot Illit settlement in the occupied West Bank, according to the Israeli army. The "terrorist armed with knives and explosives" entered a property, the army said about the 21-year-old. The owner of the property then discovered the attacker and shot him.
The night before, a Palestinian had shot and wounded three people in a cafe in central Tel Aviv in an attack. According to the army, the attacker, who was subsequently killed by police officers, was a 23-year-old member of the armed wing of the radical Islamist Hamas. Two of his relatives were arrested accordingly.
"I heard shots and saw people running away," police officer David Friedmann told the AFP news agency. On the other hand, he ran “to the crime scene” and shot the attacker. Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Joav Galant said he had ordered the demolition of the attacker's home in the West Bank village of Nilin.
Both Hamas, which rules in the Gaza Strip, and its rival militant Palestinian group, Islamic Jihad, have vowed revenge for the Palestinians killed.
Violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been escalating for weeks, with the Israeli army taking action against militant Palestinians, especially in the West Bank. Since the beginning of the year, 77 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, including militants and civilians. 13 Israelis were killed, including armed security forces and civilians.
