Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Sunday, calling his speech criticizing Netanyahu’s government as ‘completely inappropriate.’
Schumer, the most senior Jewish politician in the country and a strong supporter of Israel, called for new elections in Israel in a surprising speech on Thursday. Schumer said Netanyahu has 'lost his way,' stating that the prime minister has been 'too willing to tolerate the civilian toll in Gaza, which is causing support for Israel globally to reach historical lows.'
‘It is completely inappropriate,’ Netanyahu told CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union” about Schumer’s criticism. ‘It’s inappropriate to go to a sister democracy and attempt to replace the elected leadership there. That's something the Israeli public does on its own.’
‘We're not a banana republic,’ he continued. ‘I think the only government that we should be working on to bring down now is the terrorist tyranny in Gaza.’
Schumer’s criticism is the latest example of increasing pressure from Democrats against Netanyahu’s government, as the Biden administration continues to push Israel to slow its military operation in Gaza and allow more humanitarian aid into the region.
Netanyahu rejected Schumer’s claims, saying that his policies and government are popular among most Israelis.
‘The majority of Israelis support the policies of my government. It’s not a fringe government,’ he said. ‘It represents the policies supported by the majority of the people. If Sen. Schumer opposes these policies, he is not opposing me. He is opposing the people of Israel.’
The prime minister also avoided Schumer’s specific request for new elections. Netanyahu said holding elections is for the Israeli people to decide, and twice avoided answering a yes-or-no on the topic.
‘If we were to have elections now, before the war is won, thoroughly won, we would have at least six months of national paralysis, which means we would lose the war,’ Netanyahu said.
‘That’s something for the Israeli people to decide,’ the prime minister said when Bash asked a second time. ‘I think it’s ridiculous to talk about it.’
