Prominent Democrat Schumer Calls for Fresh Israel Election
US Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, has accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of prioritising his "political survival" above the welfare of Israelis.
While calling for new elections in Israel, Mr Schumer, a Democrat and the highest-ranking Jewish official in the US, said Mr Netanyahu had "lost his way".
He warned huge civilian casualties in Gaza risked alienating allies and turning Israel into a global "pariah".
It is a sharp escalation in US criticism of Mr Netanyahu's government.
The coalition within the US government has refrained from directly criticizing Mr. Netanyahu's approach to the conflict, but recent tensions have surfaced, with President Biden cautioning Israel against expanding its invasion into Rafah.
Senator Schumer, a longstanding supporter of Israel, criticized Netanyahu in the Senate, stating that his focus on political survival has overshadowed Israel's best interests. Schumer emphasized the need for Israel to make adjustments and enhance protection for civilians in Gaza.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, over 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 7th.
The actual number of dead is likely to be far higher as the count does not include those who have not reached hospitals, among them thousands of people still lost under the rubble of buildings hit by Israeli air strikes.
"As a democracy, Israel has the right to choose its own leaders, and we should let the chips fall where they may," Mr Schumer said. "But the important thing is that Israelis are given a choice. There needs to be a fresh debate about the future of Israel."
"In my opinion, that is best accomplished by holding an election," he added. Israel is not due to hold
For peace talks to advance, Mr Schumer said Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas must also step down. The Palestinian leader, who is 87, has been little seen throughout the conflict and his government has not held elections in the West Bank since 2006.
Mr Schumer's comments prompted a rebuke from outgoing Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell, who called the 40-minute speech "grotesque" and "unprecedented".
He said it was "hypocritical for Americans who hyperventilate about foreign interference in our own democracy to call for the removal of a democratically elected leader of Israel".
Israel's ambassador in Washington, Michael Herzog, also attacked the remarks, writing on X that it was "unhelpful" and "counterproductive" to comment on "the domestic political scene of a democratic ally".
Despite the longstanding alliance between the US and Israel, the Biden administration has raised concerns about Israel's actions during the conflict in Gaza. President Biden, in his State of the Union address, described Israel's response as "excessive." Additionally, he has been increasingly vocal about the need for Israel to allow more humanitarian aid into the territory without any delays or justifications.
But, in a sign of the deepening rift between the two men, Mr Netanyahu hit back at Mr Biden, maintaining that his government and policies had the support of the Israeli people.
Mr Biden recently accused Mr Netanyahu of "hurting Israel more than helping Israel", which led Mr Netanyahu to describe that assertion as "wrong".
Opinion polls show most Israelis support the war, but one survey released in January suggested just 15% of voters wanted Mr Netanyahu to remain in office once the conflict ends.
In a statement issued following Mr Schumer's remarks, Mr Netanyahu's Likud party insisted that the prime minister was "supported by a huge majority of the people".
