MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th June, 2023) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning to pay an official visit to China in July to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other top officials, The Times of Israel newspaper reported, citing sources.
The visit demonstrates "growing impatience with Washington" as Beijing is gaining more influence in the region, the report said, adding that the offices of the Israeli and Chinese leaders had held extended contacts to organize the visit.
"Netanyahu is not going to stand and wait for an invitation that is not forthcoming to visit the White House. He is also working in parallel channels," a diplomatic source was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
The source added that Netanyahu would represent the interests of his country during his visit to China, the exact date of which is yet to be announced. The newspaper also assumed that Israel would try to improve its relations with Saudi Arabia with the help of China, as Beijing recently brokered the resumption of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
At the same time, Israeli President Isaac Herzog is set to visit the White House in three weeks, which could serve as a counterweight to Israel's wooing of China by maintaining relations with the United States, the report said.
US President Joe Biden said in late March that he did not plan to receive Netanyahu in Washington in the near future. Disagreements between the two leaders were caused by massive protests against judicial reform in Israel.
In January, Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin rolled out a legal reform package that would limit the authority of the Supreme Court by giving the cabinet control over the selection of new judges, as well as allowing the parliament to override the court's rulings with an absolute majority. The reform sparked nationwide protests that had been ongoing for three months.
In late March, Netanyahu announced the suspension of the legislative process on judicial reform in order to negotiate and reach a compromise with its opponents. Despite the suspension, protesters continue to take to the streets, fearing that the reform will undermine democracy in Israel and bring the country to the brink of a social and constitutional crisis.
