Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Thursday criticized the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a speech on the Senate floor regarding the Israel-Hamas war and called for new elections.
“As a lifelong supporter of Israel, it became clear to me that Netanyahu’s coalition government was no longer suited to Israel’s needs after October 7. Since then, the world has fundamentally changed and Israel “Our people are now being oppressed by an insurgency, a vision of governance stuck in the past,” said Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in the United States.
“Five months into this conflict, it is clear that Israelis need to take stock of the situation and ask themselves, do we need to change course?” he continued. “At this critical juncture, when so many Israelis have lost confidence in their own vision and direction, new elections are the only way to enable a healthy and open decision-making process about Israel’s future. I believe that ”Gov. ”
As Israel’s war against Hamas continues, the humanitarian crisis affecting Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip is becoming increasingly dire, prompting Democratic officials, including President Joe Biden, to There is growing pressure to take a tougher stance against the United States.Congressional support for Israel stalls after Senate passage I handed over my luggage Also about aid to Israel and Ukraine, which was not brought up in the House.
Schumer said in his speech that he is the first Jewish Senate majority leader. The New York Democratic congressman condemned the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel in his speech, saying, “We are working in every way to support the Biden administration as negotiations continue toward the release of the last hostage.” “I’m here,” he said.
“October 7th and the shameless response by some in the United States and around the world to support terrorist attacks have awakened the deepest fears of the Jewish people. Our extinction remains a possibility. “There is,” Schumer said.
Schumer also said he was “heartbroken by the loss of so many civilian lives in Gaza.”
“I am heartbroken that so many innocent Palestinians have been killed in Israeli war operations,” he continued. “I know that my fellow Jewish Americans feel the same pain as they see images of dead children, starving children, and destroyed homes.”
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell responded critically to Schumer’s speech, saying in his own remarks on the Senate floor: Only the people of Israel should have a say in who runs the government. ”
“It is grotesque and hypocritical for Americans hyperventilating over foreign interference in our democracy to call for the removal of Israel’s democratically elected leaders,” McConnell said. “This is unprecedented. We should not treat our fellow democracies this way.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson called Schumer’s call for re-election in Israel “highly inappropriate” and “completely wrong,” at a time when our closest allies in the region are fighting an existential battle. It is simply wrong for American leaders to play such a divisive role in Israeli politics.” For its very survival. We need to stand with Israel. ”
Johnson told CNN that House Republican leaders are “considering” considering the stand-alone Israel bill through the regular procedure after it failed to pass the expedited process earlier this year.
“We’re looking at that because it probably changes the calculus,” the Louisiana Republican said in response to Schumer’s remarks.
“The majority of Israelis will recognize the need for change, and holding a new election once the war begins to end will give Israelis the opportunity to express their vision for the post,” Schumer said in his speech. I believe it will be given.” -The future of war. ”
This story has been updated with additional developments.
CNN’s Ted Barrett, Melanie Zanona and Haley Talbot contributed to this report.
