Netanyahu says he’s ‘attentive to what is happening’ amid anti-overhaul protests

BERLIN — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he’s paying attention to the protests against the judicial overhaul in Israel.

“I am attentive to what is happening among the people,” he tells Israeli journalists, “but we have to bring something that matches the mandate we received, and we will do this responsibly.”

Netanyahu also calls President Isaac Herzog’s judicial reform proposal “a major missed opportunity.”

“What was brought in front of the president from the coalition regarding the appointment of judges included a two-stage framework – an immediate fix to some extent and then balance afterwards,” he continues. “The president heard these things, and brushed them aside, unfortunately.”

Regarding his meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Netanyahu says “the chancellor did not place any conditions on relations with Israel as a result of the judicial changes, especially not anything having to do with security ties.”

A senior official traveling with Netanyahu says that the Israelis were expecting a confrontation in the meeting with Scholz, but it never came, with Netanyahu bringing up the fight over the judicial shakeup.