The leader of the Democratic majority in the US Senate, Chuck Schumer, called on Thursday March 14 for elections to be held in Israel, calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “an obstacle to peace.”
“A coalition led by Netanyahu no longer corresponds to Israel’s needs after October 7 [2023]”, the start date of the war with Hamas, declared the influential American elected official during a speech before the Senate.
“I think Prime Minister Netanyahu has lost his way, letting his political survival come before Israel’s best interests,” said Democratic parliamentarian
Five months after the start of the conflict, Israel is at a “critical point,” said Chuck Schumer, assuring that “new elections were the only way to allow a healthy decision-making process” on the future of the country.
Two-state solution
The senator added that the only solution to this conflict was a two-state solution. “A demilitarized Palestinian state living side by side with Israel in equal conditions of peace, security, prosperity and dignity,” he described.
Mr. Schumer's intervention comes the day after an invitation sent by Republican elected officials to the Israeli Prime Minister, who was ultimately unable to honor this invitation, due to an agenda conflict, according to the New York Times .
Chuck Schumer, leader of the Democratic majority in the Senate and the highest-ranking elected official of the Jewish faith within American institutions, had until now been very cautious in his criticism of Israel, which is leading an increasingly contested offensive against Gaza.
The American president, Democrat Joe Biden, estimated on Saturday March 9 that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “doing more harm than good to Israel” through his conduct of the war in Gaza, also making ambiguous remarks about the question of a “red line” that the Americans would set.
“He has the right to defend Israel, the right to continue attacking Hamas. But he must pay more attention to the innocent lives lost because of the actions taken,” the American president also demanded in an interview with MSNBC.
The Democratic leader, candidate for re-election, is under pressure from part of his electorate. In Michigan, many Democrats, including a large proportion of members of the large Arab-American community in this key state, are threatening not to vote for him against Republican Donald Trump, despite him being unambiguous in his support for Israel.
