Schumer Calls for New Elections in Israel Amid Israel-Hamas War
In a fiery speech on the Senate floor, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, pushing for new elections amidst the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
“As a lifelong supporter of Israel, it has become evident to me: The Netanyahu coalition is no longer aligned with the needs of Israel post-October 7. The world has drastically changed since then, and the Israeli people are currently being held back by a governing vision that is stuck in the past,” stated Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in America.
“Five months into this conflict, it is evident that Israelis must reassess the situation and ask: do we need to change course?” he continued. “At this crucial moment, I believe a new election is necessary to facilitate a healthy and transparent decision-making process about Israel’s future, especially when many Israelis have lost faith in their government’s direction.”
The humanitarian crisis affecting Palestinian civilians in Gaza has worsened as Israel’s battle against Hamas rages on, intensifying pressure on Democratic party officials, including President Joe Biden, to adopt a tougher stance against Israel. Congressional aid to Israel has hit a roadblock after the Senate approved a package with aid for Israel and Ukraine that has not been taken up in the House.
Netanyahu’s Likud party responded, stating that Schumer should “respect Israel’s elected government and refrain from undermining it.”
“Israel is not a banana republic, but a sovereign and proud democracy that chose Prime Minister Netanyahu,” the statement read. “Contrary to Schumer’s remarks, the Israeli public backs a complete victory over Hamas” and “opposes the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza.”
Schumer, emphasizing his role as the first Jewish Senate majority leader, condemned the Hamas terror attack on Israel on October 7 and affirmed his commitment to assisting the Biden administration in negotiations to secure the release of all hostages.
“The events of October 7 and the disturbing support for that terrorist attack from some in America and worldwide have reignited the deepest fears of the Jewish people — that our eradication remains a possibility,” Schumer asserted.
Expressing sorrow for the loss of civilian lives in Gaza, Schumer stated, “I am devastated by the casualties caused by the Israeli military offensive, particularly the innocent Palestinians. I know that my fellow Jewish Americans share this grief when they witness the devastation in Gaza.”
Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell criticized Schumer’s speech, asserting, “Israel is not a colony of America where leaders serve at the whim of the party in power in Washington. Only the citizens of Israel should determine their government.”
McConnell labeled calls for the removal of a democratically elected leader of Israel as “grotesque and hypocritical,” emphasizing the need to respect fellow democracies.
House Speaker Mike Johnson condemned Schumer’s plea for new elections in Israel as “highly inappropriate” and emphasized the importance of supporting Israel in its battle for survival.
Johnson revealed that House Republican leadership is contemplating introducing a standalone Israel bill on the floor through regular procedures after a failed expedited process earlier this year.
Schumer, in closing his speech, expressed confidence that “a majority of the Israeli public will recognize the necessity for change” and believed that holding new elections post-war would enable Israelis to shape their post-war future. — CNN
