Joe Biden calls Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu to ‘express concern’ over judicial plan

US President Joe Biden spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday to “express concern” over his government’s planned overhaul of the country’s judicial system that has sparked widespread protests across Israel and to encourage compromise.

The White House said Biden reiterated US concerns about the measure to roll back the judiciary’s insulation from the country’s political system, in a call a senior administration official described as candid and constructive.

There was no immediate indication that Netanyahu was shying away from the action, after rejecting a compromise last week offered by the country’s figurehead president.