Likud minister claims Biden comments on Israel coordinated with Lapid, Barak

Diaspora Affairs and Social Equality Minister Amichai Chikli alleges that comments made by US President Joe Biden on Sunday criticizing the government and expressing concern over its judicial overhaul program were coordinated with Opposition Leader Yair Lapid and former prime minister Ehud Barak.

“Every time they want to stoke the fire, all of a sudden there’s a comment from the direction of the [US] president,” Chikli remarks in an interview with the Kol Barama radio station.

“I think these comments are prompted and timed by Lapid and Barak and their people who are friends with these people [in the Biden administration]. There is a certain amount of coordination between Biden’s people and Lapid and Ehud Barak; there is certain amount of synchronization.”

In an interview with CNN broadcast earlier this week, Biden said the current Israeli government had “one of the most extreme members of cabinets” he had ever seen, and, regarding the judicial reforms, “hopefully, Bibi [Netanyahu] will continue to move toward moderation in changing the court.”

Outspoken minister Chikli has previously told US Ambassador Tom Nides to “mind your own business” after Nides said the government should slow down its push to overhaul the judiciary.