The announcement of new elections and the threat of Israel becoming a “pariah” by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was a watershed moment in contemporary US-Israeli relations.
The harsh language used by Schumer in her criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday was unprecedented for a prominent US lawmaker to criticise the Israeli government. Given the New York Democrat’s history of unwavering support for the Jewish state, it was even more astounding coming from them.
It was clear from the Senate floor speech that leading Democrats were becoming increasingly frustrated with Netanyahu’s handling of the Gaza conflict after the 1,200 casualties caused by Hamas terror assaults on October 7 and his disregard for US recommendations. Furthermore, it mirrors the American political climate. President Joe Biden’s coalition, which includes Arab Americans, younger voters, and US progressives, is furious over the conflict’s alleged role in the deaths of over 30,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza ministry of health. Biden is running for reelection.
The top-ranking Jewish American in the US government, Schumer, issued a warning that the “significant course corrections” required in the fight against Hamas were being blocked by Netanyahu’s ultra-right-wing coalition. In contrast to Netanyahu, he advocated for a two-state solution to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Although he largely held Hamas leaders in Gaza responsible for the war’s civilian casualties, he said that Israel should have done more to prevent the deaths of innocent Palestinians.
After October 7, the Netanyahu coalition was no longer suitable for Israel’s requirements. In Schumer’s words, “the world has changed, radically, since then,” and that the current government in Israel is unable to adapt to the new realities because it is focused on the past. “After five months of this conflict, it’s crucial for Israelis to assess the situation and ask: Do we need to make a change?” he concluded. “At this crucial crossroads, I contend that calling for fresh elections is the sole means by which Israel’s future can be decided in a transparent and healthy manner, especially given the widespread lack of faith in the government’s stated goals and objectives.”
Schumer expressed his profound respect for a nation “surrounded by vicious enemies,” and he mentioned that his name comes from the Hebrew term Shomer, meaning guardian. We adore Israel with all our beings, he continued. There is no way to put a price on the significance of Israel to the generation that was alive during the Holocaust.
On the other hand, the head of the Senate majority claimed that Israelis required a new election to choose a new course for the country after October 7.
He made it clear that the US should not attempt to influence election results. “I think the Israeli public knows better than anybody that Israel can’t succeed as a pariah opposed by the rest of the world. So, that’s up to them to decide.”
The comments made by Schumer exposed the growing animosity between the Democratic Party and the Israeli government, as well as the widening party division in the US over Israel.
Prompt accusations of attempting to meddle in Israeli politics and betraying a US ally during a wartime arose against him very immediately. For example, in a statement, Netanyahu’s Likud party made it clear that Schumer is “expected to respect Israel’s elected government and not undermine it.” As an independent and proud democracy, Israel chose Prime Minister Netanyahu, not a banana republic, it added.
“Israel is a sovereign democracy,” exclaimed Michael Herzog, the Israeli ambassador to the US, in a post on X. In light of Israel’s ongoing conflict with the genocidal terrorist group Hamas, it is particularly unproductive to offer commentary on the internal political climate of a democratic ally. Our shared objectives will be undermined by this.
Reacting angrily to Schumer’s remarks, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell criticised US officials for being hypocritical in their warnings against involvement in US politics while also attempting to do the same thing in Israel.
The Republican from Kentucky asserted, “Make no mistake, the Democratic party doesn’t have an anti-Bibi problem, it has an anti-Israel problem.” He has recently discovered uncommon harmony with Schumer, since they both advocate for increasing military assistance to Ukraine. Israel is not a colony of the United States whose authorities are beholden to the political party in control in Washington, McConnell continued. No one other than Israeli citizens should be able to vote for the head of state.
Given that Schumer has just called for an election in a foreign state, it is reasonable to assume that he is interfering with Israeli affairs. Ironically, Netanyahu is the one who is complaining. He first entered American politics under the Obama administration, when he collaborated with Republicans to derail the nuclear agreement between Iran and the United States. The United States relocated its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, among other benefits, after he publicly allied himself with former President Donald Trump.
Following years in which the Israeli government saw bipartisan backing in Washington as a vital national interest, Schumer’s remarks are the most recent sign of a significant change in US politics that may have significant implications for Israel going ahead.
It’s safe to say that intense political pressure within and outside of the Senate was the driving force behind Schumer’s decision. Thousands of innocent people died in Gaza as a result of Israel’s attack on Hamas, and progressives are furious about it. Over 100,000 voters in Michigan, a pivotal swing state, rejected Biden in the most recent Democratic primary, thanks to a protest by Arab Americans and left-wing Democrats. A second term for Biden could be in peril if those voters cast ballots for someone else or abstain from voting altogether, despite the fact that Biden’s supporters claim those voters will return to the president in the fall.
What Schumer’s remarks make you wonder more than anything else is how much the White House agrees with him. It appears that Netanyahu has taken advantage of Biden’s backing for Israel while mostly disregarding Biden’s counsel and concerns on Israeli tactics and their effects on the Gaza Strip’s Palestinian population. No president in the modern era has been more pro-Israel than Biden. During his Thursday visit to Michigan, the president evaded inquiries over Schumer’s remarks.
But the administration’s fury has been pouring out in waves recently. The vice president has already demanded a “immediate ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip earlier this month. Last week, Biden echoed Netanyahu’s concerns, saying that the Israeli prime minister’s attack on the Palestinian enclave was doing more harm than good. These comments carried a lot of weight since they go against Biden’s political fibre, which is to openly criticise Israel. Many pro-Israel Democrats believe that Netanyahu is dragging out the battle in order to avoid an election that could result in his removal as prime minister, given the numerous legal challenges he is facing. Since Schumer is close to Biden, it’s reasonable to assume that he is taking cues from the president.
The political and reputational damage to Biden from his inaction to further pressure Israel into a ceasefire and to place restrictions on the use of US-made weaponry in the conflict has been substantial, both domestically and among US allies overseas.
The chasm between Biden and Netanyahu is only going to grow wider now that it’s obvious their election goals are completely at odds with one another.
