US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says any major reform needs '
consensus
' as Israel is rocked by massive protests over a controversial bill by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to limit the court's prerogatives supreme.
Achieving "
consensus is the best way forward
" in
Israel's "very vibrant democracy
", Blinken said in an interview with AFP late Thursday evening in Niamey, where he was visiting.
Ensuring long-term reform
Since the announcement of the reform project in early January by one of the most right-wing governments in the history of Israel, massive demonstrations have taken place every week in the country, to denounce an anti-democratic drift, according to its detractors.
This judicial reform project aims to limit the prerogatives of the Supreme Court and divides the country.
"
One thing we've learned from our own experience as a democracy is that when you're looking to make big changes - big reforms - to your laws, to your institutions, consensus is perhaps the most important
,” Mr. Blinken added.
Consensus is key to “
making sure you have something that not only gets accepted, but will also last
,” he said.
Netanyahu's new far-right government has proposed major reforms that include allowing lawmakers to overturn Supreme Court decisions by a simple majority vote.
Tens of thousands of people have since taken to the streets and Israeli President Isaac Herzog has warned of the risk of a "
civil war
".
Some critics say Mr Netanyahu is pushing for reforms to protect himself as he battles corruption charges.