03/15/2023 23:23 (act. 03/15/2023 23:30)
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu travels to Berlin ©APA/AFP/POOL
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin on Thursday. The visit to Germany is overshadowed by a bitter dispute in Israel over judicial reform that Netanyahu’s religious right-wing government is pushing. Protests are also expected in Berlin on Thursday.
In Israel, there are now regular large-scale demonstrations against the reform. The Israeli parliament must be able to overrule the highest court’s decisions. Critics see this as a threat to the separation of powers. Protests are also expected in Berlin on Thursday. The visit is accompanied by a large police operation. The highest level of security applies to Netanyahu’s stay in Berlin. Extensive road closures and closures are expected.
Netanyahu’s talks with Scholz are said to be about bilateral cooperation as well as international and regional security issues. Netanyahu recently visited Rome and is also planning a trip to London. According to Israeli reports, he is trying to find a resolute common position against Iran’s nuclear program.