Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has called for new elections in Israel to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Schumer also expressed support for a temporary cease-fire between Israel and Hamas but opposed a permanent one, arguing it would allow Hamas to regroup.
On Thursday, March 14, Schumer — the highest-ranking Jewish official in the U.S. — made the call for new elections during remarks on the Senate floor, citing the need for change in Israeli leadership.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu has lost his way by allowing his political survival to take precedence over the best interests of Israel,” Schumer said.
On March 12, tensions escalated between the United States and Israel as a “very senior Israeli official” criticized a U.S. intelligence report suggesting Netanyahu’s government viability might be in jeopardy, according to the Times of Israel.
The report anticipated large protests demanding Netanyahu’s resignation and new elections. In response to the report, Netanyahu vowed to win the ongoing conflict with Hamas and emphasized the overwhelming support from the American people and Congress.
Also on March 12, national security adviser Jake Sullivan responded to reports that the U.S. was considering withholding aid to Israel if it moved forward with a ground offensive in Rafah.
Sullivan denied the reports, stating they were “uninformed speculation.” However, he did express the importance of avoiding civilian deaths in any Israeli operation.
