White House: US doesn’t believe civil war will break out in Israel

The White House said Monday that the US is concerned about the ongoing unrest in Israel, which most recently saw Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fire his defense minister, but doesn’t believe it will spiral out of control.

In a call with reporters, National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby told reporters that the US was worried about the judicial reform laws that Netanyahu’s government was trying to push through; however, he said checks and balances in government strengthen democratic societies.

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Asked if US President Joe Biden was worried that the violence in Israel risked a civil war, Kirby said: “The president is not concerned that Israel is going to devolve into any kind of civil war.”

He went on to say that US concern came from “a place of respect and friendship and admiration for the Israeli people, for Israel as a country, and for Israel’s democracy.”

But, he noted that the US remained concerned by the recent developments.

Shortly after the call, Netanyahu announced he would delay the so-called reform until next month. Kirby repeated Washington’s calls to “strongly urge Israeli leaders to compromise.”

Read more: Netanyahu labelled a ‘dictator’ for firing defense minister over overhaul criticism