Ottawa deplores Netanyahu government's judicial reform in Israel

< p class="sc-v64krj-0 dlqbmr">Since the announcement of the reform bill in early January by one of the most right-wing governments in Israel's history, massive protests have taken place every week in the country to denounce an anti-democratic drift, according to its detractors.

Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly is urging Israel to abandon its controversial reform of the justice system, after two months of major protests.

According to an official account of a conversation Ms. Joly had with her Israeli counterpart, Eli Cohen, the Minister underscored Canada's support for democracy, rule of law and the institutions that underpin them.

A Global Affairs Canada source familiar with the interview says the minister specifically highlighted Israel's judicial reform. Ms. Joly reportedly said the country should only implement reforms that have popular support.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has so far rejected any compromise aimed at resolving the impasse over his plans to reform the country's judicial system, which would allow Parliament to overrule a Supreme Court ruling.

The proposed change, which has also been criticized by US President Joe Biden, concentrates power in Israel in the hands of the parliamentary coalition led by Mr. Netanyahu.

According to the Israeli president, this reform is necessary to counter what he considers excessive power entrusted to unelected judges.

Minister Joly would also have denounced, during this interview, unilateral gestures that jeopardize peace efforts, such as Israel's expansion of Jewish settlements, which are illegal in the regard to international law.