- Home
- War in the Middle East
- Netanyahu Fires Back at US Senate Leader Schumer
©(Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized senior Jewish American Senator Chuck Schumer, labeling Schumer's call for early election as "totally inappropriate."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted top Jewish American Senator Chuck Schumer for castigating the Israeli leader and calling for early elections, deeming this “totally inappropriate.”
“It’s inappropriate to go to a sister democracy and try to replace the elected leadership there. That’s something that the Israeli public does on its own, we’re not a banana republic,” he told US news channel CNN.
“This is a wake-up call to Senator Schumer; the majority of Israelis support the policies of my government. It’s not a fringe government, it represents the policies supported by the majority of the people. If Senator Schumer opposes these policies, he’s not opposing me, he’s opposing the people of Israel.”
Senate leader Chuck Schumer, a democrat, is the highest-ranking elected Jewish American in history, and the Senate Majority leader called Netanyahu "an obstacle to peace."
"Too many people are turning against Israel because of their dislike for Netanyahu," he said. "And I felt an imperative to show that you could be against Netanyahu and still be very pro-Israel, which of course I am."
Asked whether he would call Netanyahu an obstacle to peace, US Senator and Democratic Party member Ben Cardin said in an interview with NBC News, "I think it’s up to the Israelis to determine their own leaders."
Cardin defended Schumer's speech on Israel, adding that the public "should listen to his entire speech" rather than just focus on his remarks about leadership in Israel.
Netanyahu also reiterated his pledge to invade Rafah in southern Gaza, where over a million Palestinians are displaced.
Washington, which supports Israel with billions of dollars in military funding, has said it cannot support a Rafah incursion without a "credible, achievable, executable plan" to protect civilians.
Netanyahu leads a coalition of ultranationalist and religious parties. His failure to return the hostages taken by Hamas has led to mounting protests in Israel, as well as nationwide calls for early elections.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted top Jewish American Senator Chuck Schumer for castigating the Israeli leader and calling for early elections, deeming this “totally inappropriate.”
“It’s inappropriate to go to a sister democracy and try to replace the elected leadership there. That’s something that the Israeli public does on its own, we’re not a banana republic,” he told US news channel CNN.
“This is a wake-up call to Senator Schumer; the majority of Israelis support the policies of my government. It’s not a fringe government, it represents the policies supported by the majority of the people. If Senator Schumer opposes these policies, he’s not opposing me, he’s opposing the people of Israel.”
Senate leader Chuck Schumer, a democrat, is the highest-ranking elected Jewish American in history, and the Senate Majority leader called Netanyahu "an obstacle to peace."
"Too many people are turning against Israel because of their dislike for Netanyahu," he said. "And I felt an imperative to show that you could be against Netanyahu and still be very pro-Israel, which of course I am."
Asked whether he would call Netanyahu an obstacle to peace, US Senator and Democratic Party member Ben Cardin said in an interview with NBC News, "I think it’s up to the Israelis to determine their own leaders."
Cardin defended Schumer's speech on Israel, adding that the public "should listen to his entire speech" rather than just focus on his remarks about leadership in Israel.
Netanyahu also reiterated his pledge to invade Rafah in southern Gaza, where over a million Palestinians are displaced.
Washington, which supports Israel with billions of dollars in military funding, has said it cannot support a Rafah incursion without a "credible, achievable, executable plan" to protect civilians.
Netanyahu leads a coalition of ultranationalist and religious parties. His failure to return the hostages taken by Hamas has led to mounting protests in Israel, as well as nationwide calls for early elections.
Read more
Comments