On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hit back at statements from Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), after he called for new leadership in the Jewish state.
“I think Schumer’s statements are wholly inappropriate. I think we’re not a banana republic. The people of Israel will choose when they’ll have elections, who they elect, and it’s not something that will be foisted upon us,” Netanyahu said on “Fox & Friends Weekend.”
On Thursday, Schumer, the Senate Majority Leader, called on Israel to elect a new prime minister to replace Benjamin Netanyahu in order to move towards a lasting peace between Israel and Palestine, in the form of a two-state solution.
Schumer said he believed that “Prime Minister Netanyahu has lost his way by allowing his political survival to take the precedence over the best interests of Israel.”
“It’s wrong to try to replace the elected leaders of a sister democracy and a staunch American ally at any time, but especially during the time of war,” Netanyahu responded. “Just imagine that, after 9/11, and when you’re in the midst of fighting Al Qaeda, and winning… some Israeli would say, ‘oh, the right thing to do is not to have new elections in America or have President Bush resign.’ It’s inappropriate. Shouldn’t have been said. It’s wrong.”
Schumer’s comments were said on the senate floor, and was a major speech in support of a two-state solution. Schumer called Netanyahu one of four obstacles to the solution, the others of which were Hamas and Palestinian supporters, “radical, right-wing” Israelis and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
“I don’t know why Sen. Schumer made those statements. I think the only thing that we should be focused on is changing the regime in Gaza, bringing down the terrorist regime of Hamas, and not the duly elected government of Israel. That’s the right policy,” Netanyahu said.
President Joe Biden seemed to be aware of, and signed off on, Schumer’s remarks, saying on Friday from the Oval Office, “Senator Schumer contacted my staff, my senior staff. I’m not going to elaborate on the speech. He made a good speech, and I think he expressed a serious concern, shared not only by him but by many Americans.”
Schumer’s comments come as Israel continues fighting Hamas for the fifth straight month, and as fears of a larger war grow.
While Israeli forces continue to battle Hamas terrorists inside the Gaza Strip, U.S. leaders and officials from across the globe have increased calls for de-escalation and cease-fire.
Even Biden, who was initially an unwavering supporter of Israel, seems to have shifted as calls to stop supporting Israel have overpowered his own party.
During the State of the Union, President Biden was caught in a hot mic moment saying he and Netanyahu were going to have a “come to Jesus moment.”
“What’s happening is [Netanyahu] has a right to defend Israel, a right to continue to pursue Hamas, but he must pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost as a consequence of the actions taken,” Biden told MSNBC anchor Jonathan Capehart, explaining the nature of his comment.
“He’s hurting Israel more than helping Israel,” he continued, adding that it was “contrary to what Israel stands for.”
“I think it’s a big mistake and I want to see a cease-fire,” Biden concluded.
Lawmakers and others have been critical of Biden’s sudden change in opinion towards the ceasefire, including former president Trump, as many far-left activists and lawmakers, such as “Squad” member Rashida Tlaib, who has previously made anti-semitic remarks, have pressured him to halt his support of Israel.
“All of a sudden he dumped Israel. That’s what he’s doing. He dumped Israel,” Trump said on “MediaBuzz” Sunday. “He just said essentially that Bibi Netanyahu should take a walk.”
Israel, however, is still focused on its commitment to “total victory over Hamas,” in spite of the political drama.
“We need total victory over Hamas. We’re within reach. We should do it,” Netanyahu said. “We’re going to do it while we enable the civilian population in Rafah to leave, as we’ve done up to now. But we have to finish the job. We need total victory. There’s no substitute for total victory.”
The post Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Blasts Schumer Over Recent Speech, Biden Over Waning Support For Israel appeared first on Resist the Mainstream.
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Author: John Symank
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