SCHUMER DISPLAYS COURAGE

Contrary to the narrative outlined in Steve Clark’s recent letter (“Support our allies,” March 17), the speech by Sen. Chuck Schumer on March 13 actually displayed a lot of courage and moral clarity by the leading Jewish official in the U.S. government.

When he recommended that the Israeli government should hold a new election, due to the brutal atrocities and genocide committed by Benjamin Netanyahu in Gaza, he was not promoting either a political revolt or violent overthrow of their government, unlike a certain former U.S. president had attempted in our nation on Jan. 6, 2021. No, actually Schumer was simply recommending that Israel hold a special election to rid themselves of a wildly unpopular, indicted prime minister, who is being investigated by the world court as a war criminal for his barbaric actions in Gaza.

But for Netanyahu’s “scorched earth” assault on Gaza, he probably would have already been prosecuted and convicted in an Israeli court by now, for attempting to consolidate all political power in Israel under his own authoritarian control.

Recent polls conducted among Israeli citizens show that 75% of the Israeli electorate would favor Netanyahu’s main opponent and his party to take over the leadership as both prime minister and in the parliament. Netanyahu knows this, and knows that his own political/legal survival hinges on maintaining his status as a “wartime leader.”

Hopefully, Joe Biden will soon adopt Schumer’s position, so the U.S. can finally join in solidarity with all of our allies and community of nations in condemning Netanyahu and his actions.

— Celia Thesken, Bakersfield