News

Gaza: US Senate Leader seeks Netanyahu’s replacement as Israeli PM

Published

8 months ago

March 14, 2024

The Senate Majority Leader of the United States representing New York, Senator Chuck Schumer, has called for the replacement of Benjamin Netanyahu as the Prime Minister (PM) of Israel.

Senator Schumer is seeking for a new election in Israel to replace Netanyahu due to the prolonged and non-stop devastating military actions of the Israeli Military Forces in Gaza.

The ranking lawmaker made the call while addressing his colleagues on the floor of the Senate on Thursday, where he argued that Netanyahu has “lost his way, by allowing his political survival to take precedence over the best interests of Israel,” adding that “the Netanyahu coalition no longer fits the needs of Israel after October 7.”

Also, the lawmaker held that – “As a democracy, Israel has the right to choose its own leaders, and we should let the chips fall where they may. But the important thing is that Israelis are given a choice. There needs to be a fresh debate about the future of Israel after October 7.

In addition, Schumer argued that Netanyahu is living in the past and that his actions are not in the best interest of the populace. “The world has changed radically since then, and the Israeli people are being stifled right now by a governing vision that is stuck in the past,” he said.

Chuck Schumer

Moreover, Senator Schumer, who is the US highest-ranking Jewish official in the country, said that the current Israeli Prime Minister has aligned himself with the like like of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir who he described as “far-right extremists” alleging that they are the one “pushing support for Israel worldwide to historic lows.”

The New York senator stressed further that is an urgent need for Israel to put an end to its military actions in Gaza, adding that the continued Israeli military attacks in Gaza are no longer justifiable. ““Israel cannot survive if it becomes a pariah,’ he added.

The US Senate leader continued, “If Prime Minister Netanyahu’s current coalition remains in power after the war begins to wind down, and continues to pursue dangerous and inflammatory policies that test existing US standards for assistance, then the United States will have no choice but to play a more active role in shaping Israeli policy by using our leverage to change the present course.”

He also emphasized the need for Israel to make “course corrections” in its strategy against Hamas and make a better effort to protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza. He said, “They “do not deserve to suffer for the sins of Hamas, and Israel has a moral obligation to do better. The United States has an obligation to do better.”

Netanyahu, the first ever Israeli Prime Minister born in the country after its establishment, is the longest-serving prime minister in the history of Israel, and has served for over 16 years.