“I think what he said was completely inappropriate. It would be inappropriate to go to a sister democracy.”
Washington:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CNN on Sunday that U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s speech urging Israel to hold new elections was “totally inappropriate.”
Speaking on the Senate floor on Thursday, Schumer, a longtime supporter of Israel and the nation’s highest-ranking Jewish elected official, called for new elections in Israel and said Netanyahu was an obstacle to peace.
“I think what he said is completely inappropriate,” Netanyahu told CNN. “It’s inappropriate to go to a sister democracy and try to replace the elected leadership there.”
The speech reflected Washington’s growing dissatisfaction with Netanyahu, his management of the war with Hamas, his failure to do more to protect Palestinian civilians and what he sees as impediments to aid deliveries to Gaza. International criticism of U.S. support for Israel has grown amid the death toll and hunger crisis in the coastal enclave.
Schumer said Israel’s rejection of a two-state solution would be a “grave mistake” and urged negotiators on the Israeli-Gaza conflict to do everything possible to secure a ceasefire, release hostages and deliver aid to Gaza.
President Joe Biden said Friday that Schumer’s remarks echoed the concerns of many Americans, calling them a “good speech.”
Schumer also criticized Palestinians for supporting the Islamist group Hamas and said Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas should also step down.
Schumer also raised the possibility that Washington could use its influence if Israel does not change course. Still, he stopped short of a step some Democrats have advocated: introducing legislation that would make easing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza a condition of U.S. arms supplies to Israel.
Israel’s military assault on Gaza has displaced nearly 2.3 million people in the country, sparked a hunger crisis, razed much of the enclave, killed more than 31,000 people and led to a World Court verdict of genocide, according to Hamas health officials Allegations are investigated.
Israel denies accusations of genocide and says it acted in self-defense after Hamas launched an attack on Israel on Oct. 7 that killed 1,200 people and took dozens of hostages.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
