‘Netanyahu has lost his way’: Schumer calls for new elections in Israel

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

SENATE MAJORITY LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER CALLED FOR NEW ELECTIONS IN ISRAEL TO REPLACE PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, MARKING THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC CRITICISM OF THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT BY A U.S. LEADER SINCE ISRAEL’S WAR AGAINST HAMAS BEGAN. 

[CHUCK SCHUMER]

PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU HAS LOST HIS WAY BY ALLOWING HIS POLITICAL SURVIVAL TO TAKE THE PRECEDENCE OVER THE BEST INTERESTS OF ISRAEL.

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

SCHUMER, THE HIGHEST-RANKING JEWISH OFFICIAL IN THE U.S., MADE THE CALL DURING REMARKS ON THE SENATE FLOOR, CITING THE NEED FOR CHANGE IN ISRAELI LEADERSHIP. 

HE EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR A TEMPORARY CEASE-FIRE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS BUT OPPOSED A PERMANENT ONE, ARGUING IT WOULD ALLOW HAMAS TO REGROUP. 

EARLIER THIS WEEK, IN A SEPARATE INCIDENT, TENSIONS ESCALATED AS A “VERY SENIOR” ISRAELI OFFICIAL CRITICIZED A U.S. INTELLIGENCE REPORT SUGGESTING NETANYAHU GOVERNMENT’S VIABILITY MIGHT BE IN JEOPARDY. 

THE REPORT ANTICIPATED LARGE PROTESTS DEMANDING NETANYAHU’S RESIGNATION AND NEW ELECTIONS. 

IN RESPONSE, NETANYAHU VOWED TO WIN THE ONGOING CONFLICT WITH HAMAS AND EMPHASIZED THE OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND CONGRESS. 

ON TUESDAY, U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER JAKE SULLIVAN RESPONDED TO REPORTS THAT THE U.S. WAS CONSIDERING WITHHOLDING AID TO ISRAEL IF IT MOVES FORWARD WITH A GROUND OFFENSIVE IN RAFAH. 

HE DENIED THE REPORTS, STATING THEY WERE “UNINFORMED SPECULATION.”

BUT STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF AVOIDING CIVILIAN CASUALTIES IN ANY ISRAELI OPERATION