President Biden expressed his support for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) after Schumer urged for new elections in Israel and criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the conflict with Hamas.
Biden informed reporters during a meeting in the Oval Office with the prime minister of Ireland that Schumer had given advanced notice to senior White House staff about the comments before giving his emphatic speech on the Senate floor.
“I’m not going to go into detail about the speech. He gave a good speech, and I think he expressed genuine concern shared not only by him, but by many Americans,” Biden commented.
On Thursday, Schumer argued that Netanyahu had “strayed from the right path,” highlighting the political and legal challenges he has recently faced while also acknowledging that the prime minister’s “top priority is the security of Israel.”
“As a lifelong supporter of Israel, it has become evident to me: The Netanyahu coalition is no longer suitable for the needs of Israel after Oct. 7,” Schumer stated, referencing Hamas’s attack. “The world has changed significantly since then, and the Israeli people are currently being hindered by a governing vision that is rooted in the past.”
Schumer’s Schumer's comments received strong criticism from Republicans, some of whom argued that it was inappropriate for the senator to call for elections and changes in leadership in another democratic government.
“It is appalling and hypocritical for Americans who are highly concerned about interference in our own democracy to advocate for the ousting of a democratically elected leader of Israel,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), describing Schumer’s remarks as “unprecedented.”
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) referred to Schumer’s call for new elections as “highly inappropriate” and “incorrect.”
Benny Gantz, a prominent opponent of Netanyahu who serves in his wartime Cabinet, referred to Schumer’s comments as a “misstep.” Gantz is a leading candidate to replace Netanyahu and recently met with Schumer in Washington.
Similarly, Biden has tried to balance his own frustrations with Netanyahu and his administration’s support for Israel in its battle against Hamas. The president has consistently emphasized Israel's right to defend itself following Hamas’s terrorist attacks last October, while also urging Israel to take greater steps to protect civilians and allow aid into Gaza.
In an last weekend’s interview with MSNBC, Biden expressed that he believed Netanyahu was “harming Israel more than helping.”
“What’s happening is he has a right to defend Israel, a right to continue to pursue Hamas,” Biden explained to MSNBC’s Jonathan Capehart. “But he must, he must, he must pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost as a result of the actions taken.”
