JERUSALEM (AP) 鈥 The Israeli government has complained to Germany after the German ambassador attended a high-profile Supreme Court hearing last week looking at the legality of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu鈥檚 judicial overhaul, an Israeli diplomatic official said Monday.
The complaint, sent at the order of Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, sparked a rare diplomatic spat between the two allies, with German leaders defending their ambassador against the criticism.
The Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was discussing behind-the-scenes diplomacy, said that Israel had relayed its 鈥渄ismay鈥 through diplomatic channels, including the Israeli Embassy in Berlin.
鈥淭his was a decision taken by the highest figure in the ministry,鈥 he added. Cohen is a close ally of Netanyahu.
was the first challenge to Netanyahu鈥檚 contentious judicial overhaul, which has bitterly divided the Israeli public and put the country on the brink of a constitutional crisis.
Ahead of the hearing, German Ambassador Steffen Seibert posted a video of himself on X, formerly known as Twitter, inside the courtroom under the heading: 鈥淭he place to be this morning.鈥 It included the Hebrew hashtag for Israel鈥檚 Supreme Court.
鈥淚 think something important is happening here for Israeli democracy,鈥 he said, speaking in Hebrew. 鈥淲e, as friends of Israel, are watching the Supreme Court with great interest and I wanted to see for myself.鈥 Seibert did not express an opinion on the case in the video.
In New York, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz defended his government鈥檚 envoy against the Israeli criticism.
鈥淭he German ambassador is a very committed man with very clear principles. And I believe that everyone knows that -- including in Israel,鈥 Scholz told journalists.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock added that it is the 鈥渆veryday business of diplomats鈥 to monitor developments in foreign countries. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also normal to go to public hearings or public court cases -- it鈥檚 part of his job,鈥 she said.
Scholz and Netanyahu are scheduled to meet Tuesday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York.
