In a surprising speech on the Senate floor, Democrat Chuck Schumer called Israeli PM Netanyahu an ‘obstacle to peace.’
“I believe in his heart, his highest priority is the security of Israel,” said Mr. Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in the United States. “However, I also believe Prime Minister Netanyahu has lost his way by allowing his political survival to take precedence over the best interests of Israel.”
Mr. Schumer added: “He has been too willing to tolerate the civilian toll in Gaza, which is pushing support for Israel worldwide to historic lows. Israel cannot survive if it becomes a pariah.”
In saying this, Schumer called on the Israeli people to elect a new Prime Minister.
By far the strongest rebuke of the Israeli leadership, Schumer did share his comments with the White House before his speech but there has been no formal comment from President Biden.