US Senate Democratic leader declares Netanyahu an “obstacle to peace” and calls for new elections in Israel | International

The leader of the Democratic majority in the US Senate, Chuck Schumer – the highest-ranking lawmaker of the Jewish religion – this Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he accused of being an “obstructionist”. “Peace in the Middle East” In a speech to a plenary session of the Upper House, Schumer called for elections in the allied country to replace the head of government. His words sparked outrage among supporters of the Net…

The US The leader of the Democratic majority in the Senate, Chuck Schumer – the highest-ranking lawmaker of the Jewish religion – this Thursday launched a scathing attack against the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he accused of being an “obstructionist”. “Peace in the Middle East” In a speech to a plenary session of the upper house, Schumer called for elections in allied countries to replace the head of government. His words sparked outrage among Netanyahu’s supporters in Israel: “Israel is not a banana republic,” responded the Likud party, the main party in the country’s governing coalition. .

According to Schumer, Netanyahu has “lost his way” by aligning himself with the extreme right of the Israeli regime and “putting his political existence on the line for the good of Israel.” “As a result,” the Democratic senator lamented, “he is very willing to tolerate the death of civilians in Gaza, something that has (fallen) to the lowest level in history for Israel around the world.”

“Israel cannot survive if it becomes an international pariah,” the Senate Democratic majority leader said. “Netanyahu’s coalition does not meet Israel’s needs after October 7. The world has changed radically since then, and the Israeli people are feeling suffocated by the vision of a government stuck in the past,” Schumer said.

The Democratic lawmaker’s speech represents the biggest public criticism of Netanyahu from a politician close to the administration in the United States since the war in Gaza began in October, and is a sign that “something is moving” in public opinion. According to a senior European official in Washington “about what is happening in the Strip.” John Kirby, a spokesman for the US National Security Council, declined to comment on the content of the speech in a telephone press conference, but confirmed that Schumer had informed the White House of his plans to intervene.

The Likud party, led by Netanyahu for decades and in power for more than 20 years, has responded to Schumer that Israel is “not a banana republic, but a free and proud democracy” that elected the politician as its leader. the country “Netanyahu leads a firm policy that has the support of the majority,” the right-wing party said.

“Contrary to Schumer’s words, the Israeli public supports a total victory over Hamas, rejects any international mandate to establish a Palestinian terrorist state, and opposes the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza,” added the Likud statement, which is also the main party. In the Israeli government coalition.

Unrest is growing against Netanyahu

Schumer’s words reflect growing democratic unrest against Netanyahu and the Israeli government’s incursion into Gaza after attacks by the radical Palestinian militia Hamas and the kidnapping of more than 230 hostages. So far, more than 31,000 Palestinians have died in Israeli bombings, and the Strip’s population of 2.3 million faces imminent famine due to Israeli barriers to allowing humanitarian aid access. The Hamas attack killed 1,200 people, according to official Israeli figures.

US President Joe Biden has acknowledged that Israel’s response “has been overwhelming.” In recent days, he has warned that in southern Gaza, an offensive against the city of Rafah, home to 1.4 million Palestinians, would represent a “red line” that Netanyahu’s government must not cross. The United States is planning to build a dock to distribute humanitarian aid and has been air-dropping aid packages for two weeks.

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