JERUSALEM (AP) 鈥 Thousands of Israeli academics and artists have urged U.S. President Joe Biden and U.N. Secretary-General Ant贸nio Guterres to shun Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to the United States next week, underlining the divide between Israel's far-right government and segments of the country's population.
In an open letter published Wednesday, over 3,500 signers, including well-known and painter Tamar Getter, called on Biden and Guterres not to meet with Netanyahu or invite him to speak at the U.N. General Assembly鈥檚 yearly meeting of world leaders.
The prime minister's office has said Netanyahu will travel to the U.S. next week to visit high-tech leaders in California before flying to New York to address the U.N.
鈥淣etanyahu incites citizens against each other, threatens the country鈥檚 security and economy, and turns his face away from the historical conflict that tears Israel apart 鈥 the forceful domination of the Palestinian people," the open letter read.
Netanyahu鈥檚 public itinerary so far does not feature an appointment . Biden said earlier this year he had 鈥渋n the near term," but the president softened his position in July, leaving open the possibility of informal talks between the leaders or a meeting on the sidelines of the General Assembly.
Israel's rightward lurch under Netanyahu's ultranationalist and religiously conservative government that took office late last year has strained the country's critical ties with the U.S.
Netanyahu's push to 鈥 an effort to weaken and give more power to the governing coalition 鈥 has drawn strong criticism from Washington, where officials have said the U.S.-Israel alliance must be rooted in a shared approach to democracy.
The Biden administration has also expressed increased frustration with the Israeli government's settlement growth in , which the U.S. and most of the international community considers a main obstacle to peace with the Palestinians.
The Israeli prime minister's U.S. trip comes as his plan to overhaul the judicial system has plunged Israel into one its gravest domestic crises in history, bringing hundreds of thousands of Israeli protesters into the streets for the past nine months.
Opponents say the overhaul removes a key check on majority rule and will concentrate power in the hands of Netanyahu and his far-right allies, eroding the country's democratic institutions. Proponents of the plan say the country鈥檚 unelected judiciary, led by the Supreme Court, wields too much power.
Biden expressed concerns when Israel's parliament slammed through the first piece of legislation in July, calling the outcome 鈥渦nfortunate.鈥 On Tuesday, Israel's Supreme Court opened the first case to look at the legality of Netanyahu鈥檚 deeply contentious plans.
The country鈥檚 academics, artists, business leaders and even military reservists have come out against the overhaul.
鈥淔rom the outset of establishing his extreme right-wing government, Mr. Netanyahu鈥檚 coalition has worked tirelessly to undermine the gatekeepers of Israel鈥檚 democracy, weaken the Supreme Court, neutralize the media and destroy the few checks and balances safeguarding the health of our nation,鈥 the open letter read.
