Israel's ambassador to the United States is pushing back on Sen. Chuck Schumer's call for elections to replace Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Calling Israel a sovereign democracy, Ambassador Michael Herzog said, "It is unhelpful, all the more so as Israel is at war against the genocidal terror organization Hamas, to comment on the domestic political scene of a democratic ally."
He added, "It is counterproductive to our common goals."
Israel is a sovereign democracy. It is unhelpful, all the more so as Israel is at war against the genocidal terror organization Hamas, to comment on the domestic political scene of a democratic ally. It is counterproductive to our common goals.
— Ambassador Michael Herzog (@AmbHerzog) March 14, 2024
The Senate Majority Leader said that Netanyahu "has lost his way" during a speech on the Senate floor on Thursday.
Schumer billed the speech as a "major address" about the two-state solution for the future of Israel and Palestine. He said Netanyahu's recent rejection of a two-state solution is wrong.
"This is a grave mistake for Israelis, Palestinians, the region and the world, Schumer said."
"Netanyahu has lost his way by allowing his political survival to take the precedence over the best interests of Israel," Schumer said.
Senate GOP Minority Leader Mitch McConnell slammed Schumer after his call for Netanyahu's ouster.
"It is grotesque and hypocritical for Americans who hyperventilate about foreign interference in our own democracy to call for the removal of a democratically elected leader of Israel," McConnell said in a statement. "This is unprecedented. We should not treat fellow democracies this way at all."
