Amid the political upheaval in Israel over the judicial overhaul plan, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and other Senate Democrats are planning to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials, reported Axios.
They intend to voice their opposition to Netanyahu's judicial overhaul plan and its believed consequences to Israel's democracy and the nation's relationship with the U.S.
The mounting opposition to the plan is expected to lead to violence, aggression, and constitutional chaos.
The plan would severely impede the Supreme Court's power to review and strike down laws. Former attorney general Avichai Mandelblit told The Times of Israel that these sweeping changes are in essence a "regime change" that would "eliminate the independence of Israel's legal system from end to end."
Democrats, including President Joe Biden, have been against Netanyahu's move. However, Schumer, one of the most pro-Israel politicians, has remained silent.
Schumer and the Democrats will visit Feb. 23-25, where they will meet President Isaac Herzog, Yair Lapid, the opposition leader, and U.S. Amb. Tom Nides, reported Axios. It is uncertain whether they will visit the occupied West Bank to meet with the Palestinians.
Tensions surged Monday as over 100,000 people protested outside the Israeli parliament building in opposition to the judicial overhaul plan, reported Axios.
Herzog called Sunday for the government to suspend legislation and meet with the opposition and the president of the Supreme Court for negotiations.
The Israeli government refused Herzog's request, so the opposition did not meet for talks.
The Israeli Knesset will have the opportunity to vote in the first hearing on the preliminary part of the plan Monday, according to Axios.
Another stern supporter of Israel, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told the Israeli Haaretz that Netanyahu was pressing upon his own personal ambitions rather than for the good of Israel's democracy. He went so far as to tell Netanyahu to step down.
President Biden also weighed in, telling The New York Times these changes to the judicial system must be democratic in nature for them to be sustainable: "The genius of American democracy and Israeli democracy is that they are both built on strong institutions, on checks and balances, on an independent judiciary," he told the Times.
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