The president of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, has drawn criticism following her comments on the ongoing judicial reform protests in Israel, suggesting the nation is nearing the loss of its democratic foundation. These protests stem from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition's pursuit of legislation aimed at curbing the Supreme Court's authority to overturn governmental decisions deemed unreasonable. The bill recently received initial approval after months of governmental efforts to enact various judicial reforms.
Those opposing the reforms contend that Netanyahu is undermining the system of checks and balances, seeking to consolidate power within the ruling right-wing parties. Conversely, Netanyahu's supporters believe these reforms are necessary to redress the balance of power, arguing that unelected judges wield excessive influence.
Weingarten's Tuesday tweet, stating that Israel is "on the precipice of losing its democracy" and referencing protesters' intentions to "grind Israel to a halt," ignited a backlash, particularly among American conservatives. Critics like Noah Pollak and Ben Shapiro responded with sharp rebukes, questioning her understanding of the situation and criticizing her involvement in matters outside her purview.
Further criticism came from figures like Nile Gardiner of the Heritage Foundation and Joel Petlin, superintendent of the Kiryas Joel School District, who characterized Weingarten's assessment as "shameful" and argued that the reforms are a step towards strengthening Israeli democracy by limiting the court's power. Meanwhile, Ian Bremmer, founder and president of the Eurasia Group, offered a contrasting perspective, suggesting that the sustained peaceful protests themselves are a testament to the resilience of Israeli democracy.
The protests escalated on Tuesday, with demonstrators blocking major highways, leading to arrests and the use of water cannons by police. Weingarten later restricted replies to her tweet and subsequently expressed gratitude to President Biden for his stance on the issue, labeling the Israeli government as "extreme." She has not yet responded to requests for comment.
