WASHINGTON (Dispatches) – American multinational financial services company JPMorgan Chase & Co. has warned of a growing risk of investment in the Israeli-occupied territories, citing protests against prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right administration’s plan to change in the regime’s judicial system.
“Israel’s local markets have seen a flare-up in idiosyncratic risk, as increased geopolitical tensions were added to investor concerns over plans for judicial reforms,” the New York City-headquartered company said in an internal memo first reported by Israel’s Channel 12 news.
“The judicial reform has raised concerns regarding institutional strength and the investment climate in the country,” the memo added.
Friday’s memo pointed to the “significant local protests” across the Israeli-occupied lands against the judicial overhaul.
In addition, it said investors should consider prolonged “geopolitical hostilities” stemming from the “less centrist tilt” of the current Israeli cabinet.
The memo said Netanyahu’s plans could lead to a downgrade of the Zionist regime’s credit rating, comparing it to Poland, which went down the same path.
The report comes as protests have taken place around the occupied Palestinian territories since Netanyahu’s move to overhaul the judiciary.
Politicians from Netanyahu’s Likud party have long accused the so-called supreme court of being dominated by leftist judges. They say that the judges encroach on areas outside their authority for political reasons.
Last December, representatives of the regime’s high tech sector addressed an open letter to Netanyahu, saying that “making common cause with extremists” such as far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and far-right politician Bezalel Smotrich could severely damage the occupying regime.
Separately, the Zionist regime has been struck by soaring tensions in the occupied West Bank.
Over the past months, the regime has ramped up attacks on Palestinian towns and cities throughout the occupied territories. As a result of these attacks, dozens of Palestinians have lost their lives and many others have been arrested.
The United Nations marked 2022 as the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank in 16 years.
Zionist troops killed at least 171 Palestinians in the West Bank and occupied East Al-Quds last year, including more than 30 children. At least 9,000 others were injured as well.
Meanwhile, a Jewish leader has expressed concern over the growing division in Tel Aviv, particularly caused by the so-called overhaul.
William Daroff, chief executive of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations (CoP), told The Times of Israel that the Zionist regime is being torn apart by political issues.
“I think there is a crisis of divisiveness here in Israel. There have been five elections of divisiveness,” said the head of CoP, which represents dozens of U.S. Jewish groups.
Daroff, who is known for his reluctance to publicly weigh in on controversial issues, said the crisis of divisiveness is not only limited to the occupying regime, pointing out that the U.S. is also witnessing the same situation.