President Biden on Tuesday said he wants Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to abandon his proposals to overhaul the country’s judiciary.

To counteract judicial overreach, Netanyahu unveiled a package of new laws to rein in the branch. However, the proposals have received criticism for running the risk of tyranny of the majority by eroding checks and balances in Israel’s system of government.

Massive protests of thousands of people against the judiciary reforms erupted in Tel Aviv over the weekend. Netanyahu recently fired Israel’s defense minister for after he announced his opposition to the plan.

”Like many strong supporters of Israel, I’m very concerned, and I’m concerned that they get this straight. They cannot continue down this road,” Biden told reporters while visiting North Carolina. “Hopefully the prime minister will act in a way that he can try to work out some genuine compromise. But that remains to be seen.”

Netanyahu said Monday that his government would postpone moving ahead with the proposals for at least a month, until the next parliamentary session, The Hill reported.

Other objections to the plan concern how it could unfairly shield Netanyahu, who has faced criminal indictment for three years. It has been noted that the court could cite the leader’s scandal as an excuse to unseat him from office, therefore making it in Netanyahu’s interest to curtail the body’s power.

The U.S. has been careful about criticizing Netanyahu’s judicial effort while avoiding alienating its major close ally in the Middle East.

“I want to stress that all of that concern comes from a place of respect, and friendship and admiration for the Israeli people, and for Israel as a country and Israel’s democracy,” John Kirby, a White House spokesperson on national security issues, told reporters Monday, according to the Hill.