Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s call for new elections. Netanyahu dismissed the push as “totally inappropriate” and harmful to Israel’s war against Hamas.
Schumer had called for new elections in Israel due to the ongoing political deadlock. The remarks represent the most recent round of a verbal spat between top Washington officials and the prime minister of Israel. The prime minister has come under increasing fire from the Biden administration.
He has also come under attack from numerous Democratic lawmakers. This is due to his handling of the conflict with Hamas in the face of international calls for greater access to humanitarian aid for Palestinians living in Gaza.
In an interview with CNN, Netanyahu repeatedly refused to commit to scheduling early elections. He cited polling data suggesting that a majority of Israelis support them, but only once the war is officially over.
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Netanyahu stated that going to elections now would result in “at least six months of national paralysis, which means we would lose the war.” The present Israeli administration is less than a year old, and elections aren’t necessary until 2026.
“I think it’s ridiculous to talk about it,” he said, likening it to calling for new elections in the U.S. after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. “It’s inappropriate to go to a sister democracy and try to replace the elected leadership there. That’s something the Israeli public does on its own.”
Schumer, a New York Democrat and the highest-ranking Jewish elected figure in the U.S. government stated last week that Netanyahu “has lost his way.” He also called for new elections to select a new administration.
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Netanyahu is “allowing his political survival to take precedence over the best interests of Israel,” Schumer stated. He added that Israel “cannot hope to succeed as a pariah opposed by the rest of the world.”
In a second statement issued Sunday in response to Netanyahu’s remarks, Schumer said, “It’s a good thing that a serious discussion has now begun about how to ensure Israel’s future security and prosperity once Hamas has been defeated.”
Schumer’s address came as the Biden administration grew increasingly frustrated with Netanyahu. This is over the civilian death toll in Gaza and his opposition to U.S. postwar plans. This also included a renewed drive for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
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President Biden acknowledged Schumer’s speech, noting shared concerns among many Americans. Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, criticized it as harmful to a close ally.
Former President Donald Trump urged Netanyahu to swiftly end hostilities. Trump emphasized the importance of returning to a peaceful state. He made these remarks during an appearance on Fox News.
The remarks coincide with Congress’s efforts to navigate a $95 billion foreign-aid package, which encompasses support for Ukraine and Israel. John Kirby, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, stated Sunday that President Biden respects Israel’s sovereignty.
He emphasized that the decision on new elections is ultimately for the Israeli people and their government to determine.
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