“As partners in democratic values ​​and close friends of Israel, we are following this debate very closely and – I don’t want to hide that – with great concern,” said Scholz after his meeting with Netanyahu in the Chancellery.

Netanyahu replied that Israel would remain a liberal democracy even with the planned judicial reform. “Democracy in Israel is strong and alive, we will not deviate an inch from it,” said the prime minister.

Netanyahu dismissed accusations that his government wanted to abolish democracy as “absurd” and “ridiculous”. Israel is “constantly slandered” and he himself is seen as “a kind of potentate who wants to abolish democracy”.

It is much more important to correct an imbalance between the powers that exist in Israel. In the end, the reform will “harmonize them, make them more representative and reflect opinions in society more,” said the Israeli head of government.

Scholz emphasized that the independence of the judiciary is “a great democratic good”. He welcomed Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s initiative to bring about a compromise in the dispute “in order to counteract further polarization in Israel”. The task now is to find an amicable solution that is supported “by everyone in Israeli society”. “We’re looking closely,” said Scholz.

The Israeli President presented his compromise proposal on Wednesday evening, but it was immediately rejected by the Netanyahu government. In view of the hardened fronts, Herzog warned of a civil war in Israel. “Those who think civil war is impossible have no idea how close we are to it,” he said.

The right-wing religious government under Netanyahu, which has been in office since December, is dividing society in Israel with its controversial legislative plans to restructure the judicial system. The plans aim to drastically reduce the powers of the judiciary. Critics fear that the separation of powers will be abolished and that democracy will be undermined. They have been protesting against it for weeks.

According to media reports, tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Israel on Thursday. At a joint press conference, leading opposition politicians called for the President’s compromise proposal to be accepted. “President Herzog’s proposal is not perfect and it is not what we wanted, but it is a real compromise (…) and we accept it,” said opposition leader Jair Lapid.

Numerous opponents of the judicial reform also came together at the Brandenburg Gate on Thursday. Posters read: “Save Israeli democracy” and “Up to here. We draw a red line”.

Netanyahu’s visit to Germany also took place against the background of the escalating violence between Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank for weeks. Scholz expressed his sympathy for the victims of attacks in Israel, but also emphasized that the violence “must be countered with the consistency of the rule of law” and not “with unbridled vigilante justice”.

The Chancellor appealed to Israelis and Palestinians to negotiate a second-state solution as a “sustainable solution” and to stop all activities contrary to this goal, including the construction of more Israeli settlements.

New violent incidents were reported from the West Bank According to Palestinian sources, four Palestinians, including a youth, were killed during an Israeli military operation in the Jenin refugee camp. The Israeli army said two members of the Palestinian militant organization Islamic Jihad were among the dead.