U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Shumer called on Thursday for new elections in Israel, harshly criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as an obstacle to peace.
Democrat Schumer, long a supporter of Israel and the highest-ranking Jewish elected official, told the Senate that Netanyahu's government "no longer fits the needs of Israel" five months into a war that began with attacks on Israel by Hamas militants on Oct. 7.
"As a democracy, Israel has the right to choose its own leaders, and we should let the chips fall where they may. But the important thing is that Israelis are given a choice. There needs to be a fresh debate about the future of Israel after Oct. 7," Schumer said.
"In my opinion, that is best accomplished by holding an election," he said.
Schumer said it would be a "grave mistake" for Israel to reject a two-state solution and urged negotiators in the Israel-Gaza conflict to do everything possible to secure a ceasefire, free hostages and get aid into Gaza.
Schumer and other leading Democrats, including President Joe Biden, face intense criticism from within the party, over Washington's unconditional support for Israel, given the impact on Palestinian civilians of Israel's assault on Gaza.
The war erupted after fighters from Hamas killed 1,200 people in a lightning Oct. 7 attack on Israel and took 253 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 31,184 Palestinians and injured 72,889, according to authorities in Hamas-ruled Gaza.
"It is grotesque... and hypocritical... for Americans who hyperventilate about foreign interference in our own democracy to call for the removal of the democratically elected leader of Israel. This is unprecedented," McConnell said.
@ZealfulOilLibertarian2mos2MO
This is a remarkable shift for Chuck Schumer, once one of Congress' most reliable Israel hawks. It puts senators like Fetterman, funnily enough, at the fringe of the current Democratic Party.
@CheerfulTwoPartyGreen2mos2MO
This is more just Schumer using Netanyahu as a foil to avoid making any substantive shift on his fundamentally unchanged Israel hawkishness
I never heard Schumer say that Netanyahu did anything wrong nor that Israel kills too many Palestinians
@ZealfulOilLibertarian2mos2MO
It's fine to be cynical about Schumer but he quite literally has never talked this way
@PunditBillWorking Family2mos2MO
The only takeaway is that the Schumer is clearly freaked out by polls showing pro-Palestinian voters are leaving his party en masse.
First Schumer is not part of the administration. He’s part of the legislative branch. Second it simply means our help/aid/intelligence will be conditioned now as it always should have been. It is bold but only because so many are still fine with rubber stamping a genocide
@D3fencePenelopeDemocrat2mos2MO
I don't think Chuck Schumer is "anti-Jewish"
I also don't want to post what would end up sounding like an anti-semitic conspiracy meme but if you look it up there are an extraordinarily large number of Jewish people in senior roles of the Biden administration. It's surely the most Jewish team we've ever had.
@PorcupineIanLibertarian2mos2MO
I thought the Biden administration did not get into nation building. This is a bold statement
@GrasshopperGabriellaGreen2mos2MO
They are providing the weapons, money, aid, security council vetoes, and media lies. They can do this at the very least
@CleverPuddingRepublican2mos2MO
Chuck Schumer is worthless and I hope he gets booed out of the building next time he shows up to his temple.
Also, is the Left for nation-building now?
Democrat
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Schumer is injecting his leftist ideology into this matter. He doesn’t like Netanyahu because he leans right. It’s about the people of Israel’s survival. Hamas must surrender unconditionally. The onus is on the terrorists who began this war. Schumer is despicable.
@CleverPuddingRepublican2mos2MO
Schumer is trying to placate the very vocal part of the Democrat party that’s pro Palestinian. He’s selling out for the November elections.
@CougarAvaPatriot2mos2MO
“Highest ranking Jewish Official”
Is there a “ Highest Ranking Catholic Official” that tells the Pope what to do or a “Highest ranking Muslim Official” that tells Saudi and Iran what to do?
@CleverPuddingRepublican2mos2MO
He's terrified of the Muslim base in the MN MI and NY.
@Patriot-#1776Constitution2mos2MO
Inappropriate and unconstitutional for the Senate Majority "Leader" to involve himself in foreign affairs like that.
@9CJ6CB62mos2MO
He’s allowed to make statements you know.
@Patriot-#1776Constitution2mos2MO
He is allowed to make statements, they are just inappropriate statements that could lead to unconstitutional laws if he steers his evil party in that direction
@9CJ6CB61mo1MO
@ISIDEWITH2mos2MO
To what extent do you believe international criticism is justified when a country's internal policies or military actions have global repercussions?
@9KW3F9PWomen’s Equality2mos2MO
I think it gets too much hate, but I know it's not the best thing.
@ISIDEWITH2mos2MO
Should the opinion of a U.S. political figure on the leadership of an allied nation affect that nation's decision-making process?
@9KW3S9WPeace and Freedom2mos2MO
Yes it should be because its a political figure and their voice matters.
@R3gulationBrianDemocrat2mos2MO
It’s a mistake. Netanyahu will just dig in deeper.
Israelis feel like they are a proxy state of the US, much as some Americans feel the same. Reality is more complicated. Imagine having this lowlife trying to interfere in your elections.
@R3gulationDunbirdVeteran2mos2MO
Nothing screams "we're losing voters in Michigan and Minnesota" than watching Schumer scramble.
@ISIDEWITH2mos2MO
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