Chuck Schumer, the US Senate majority leader and the highest-ranking Jewish official in the US, has called for new elections in Israel, criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for prioritizing his political survival over the country’s well-being. Schumer warned that Netanyahu’s actions risk turning Israel into a global pariah and alienating allies.
The conflict began when Hamas gunmen stormed into southern Israel, resulting in about 1,200 deaths and 253 hostages. While President Joe Biden and other Washington officials have refrained from directly criticizing Netanyahu, Schumer’s comments mark a sharp escalation in US criticism of the Israeli government.
Schumer, a long-time supporter of Israel, urged for “course corrections” to better protect civilians in Gaza, where more than 30,000 Palestinians, mostly children and women, have been killed. Netanyahu disputed this figure, claiming Israel had killed 13,000 Hamas fighters and the ratio of civilian to combatant deaths was 1 to 1.5.
Schumer also called for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to step down and for fresh elections to be held in Israel to facilitate a new debate about the country’s future. However, his comments faced backlash from Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell and Israel’s ambassador in Washington, who deemed them “unhelpful” and “counterproductive”.
While the US remains Israel’s closest ally, concerns have grown within the Biden administration over Israel’s actions in Gaza. Biden has called for the easing of humanitarian aid into the territory without excuses, criticizing Israel’s response as “over the top”. This has led to tension between Biden and Netanyahu, with the Israeli leader asserting he has the support of the Israeli people.
Schumer’s remarks come amid mounting international criticism of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, with the US imposing sanctions on settlers and settlement outposts accused of undermining stability in the region. The settlements are considered illegal under international law, with nearly 500 settler attacks against Palestinians reported between October and January.
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