Schumer says Israel’s Netanyahu should be voted out
In his harshest criticism yet of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called Thursday for Israelis to hold elections and choose a new government that can better handle the threat of Hamas.
“As a lifelong supporter of Israel, it has become clear to me: The Netanyahu coalition no longer fits the needs of Israel after Oct. 7,” the New York Democrat said in a floor speech early Thursday.
“Nobody expects Prime Minister Netanyahu to do the things that must be done to break the cycle of violence, preserve Israel’s credibility on the world stage, and work towards a twostate solution.”
The message reflects the growing pressure among Democrats to forcefully push back against the catastrophic loss of life in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has been seeking to eliminate Hamas and has killed more than 30,000 people.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell challenged Schumer’s view in a social media post, writing the primary “obstacles to peace” are “genocidal terrorists and corrupt Palestinian Authority leaders who repeatedly reject peace deals.”
“Foreign observers who cannot keep this straight ought to refrain from interfering in the democracy of a sovereign ally,” McConnell wrote.
Schumer – the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in American history – also criticized Hamas and Palestinians who support the group that attacked Israel in October, killing more than 1,100 people and taking more than 130 hostages. He called upon Palestinian Authority Leader Mahmoud Abbas to “step down and be replaced by a new generation of Palestinian leaders who will work toward attaining peace with a Jewish state.”
But Schumer also strongly criticized “right-wing Israelis” who have called for the forced displacement of Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza and government officials who have encouraged violence in each region.
“I believe a new election is the only way to allow for a healthy and open decision-making process about the future of Israel, at a time when so many Israelis have lost their confidence in the vision and direction of their government,” he said.
First aid ship set to arrive in Gaza
The first humanitarian aid ship from Cyprus was due to arrive in Gaza on Thursday with more than 500,000 meals from Chef José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen. Crews were working on preparing a jetty at an undisclosed location to unload Open Arms, the first ship bringing aid to the enclave that has been left in ruins by more than five months of war. The nonprofit organization said in a statement that it was working with United Arab Emirates, Cyprus and the international community to open the maritime aid corridor.
“Once there, we will distribute the food to communities on the brink of famine,” the group said. The Israeli military said a “comprehensive security check” of the ship and its cargo of almost 200 tons of rice, flour, beans, lentils and canned meats was completed.
A second ship was being prepared to make the trip. The group says it has already provided more than 35 million meals to displaced Palestinians in the region since the war began.
The U.S. is sending material for construction of a floating dock that would expand access to aid ships. The dock, when fully operational within two months, should be able to offload up to 2 million meals a day.