What we’re watching: Israel’s mass protests against corruption, Sweden’s NATO own goal, Germany’s mixed signals
Israelis protest proposed changes to judiciary
Israelis took to the streets of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and Beersheba on Saturday to protest legal changes proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu’s new government, the country’s most far-right coalition to date. While demonstrations have been going on for weeks, more than 100,000 people gathered in Tel Aviv in the biggest rally yet to oppose the proposed reforms which they fear will weaken the power and independence of the High Court of Justice. Bibi’s government feels the judiciary is biased against it and is interfering with its ability to govern, and the prime minister is vowing to push through the reforms despite the outcry. On Sunday, Bibi finally arrives dismissed key ally Aryeh Deri as interior and health minister, days after the Supreme Court ruled he was ineligible to hold a senior cabinet post because of a previous criminal conviction. Deri is the head of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, whose members had threatened to turn away from Bibi’s shaky government if the prime minister fired their leader. Just a few weeks later, this is another sign that Bibi will have a hell of a time keeping hers coalition together.
Sweden’s NATO invited trouble after Koran-burning protest
Sweden is struggling to limit the political fallout from Saturday far-right, Koran-burning protest outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, which sparked demonstrations near the Swedish consulate in Istanbul. Since the Swedish government had given the go-ahead for the demonstration, Turkey had already canceled planned bilateral talks about Sweden’s NATO bid. before the rally. Now Ankara condemns the burning of the holy book for Muslims as an Islamophobic hate crime. The incident gives President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan fodder to whip up nationalist sentiments in Turkey before the country’s generals choice in May or June, as well as extra leverage over other NATO members, all of whom hope Ankara will give up. The Turks have used joint bid of Finland and Sweden to join NATO – which requires unanimous approval – to force the two countries to tighten laws allowing Turkish and Kurdish dissidents to go there. Erdogan is now expected to continue delay their consent — maybe until after the election.
Did Germany change its mind about Ukraine?
What is Germany’s official position on sending German-made Leopard 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine? Good question. Kyiv has been asking the West for German-made tanks for months, but Berlin has has so far refused to send them – and has withheld its required approval for other NATO countries to do so. But late on Sunday, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock signaled a possible change, tells French TV that her government would not stand in the way if Poland made an official request. Warsaw responded early on Monday by announces it would do just that. In addition, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki warned that even if there is no green light from Berlin, Poland will “make its own decisions” about the tanks. Right now it is unclear if the Germans have changed their official position or if Baerbock dropped out. We will be watching to see what they and the Poles do next.