Schumer’s calls for new Israeli leadership are ‘wholly inappropriate’: Benjamin Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joins ‘Fox & Friends Weekend’ to discuss a number of topics relating to the ongoing war with Ukraine.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a sharp rebuttal against Sen. Chuck Schumer, who called for new leadership in the Jewish state.
"I think Schumer's statements are wholly inappropriate. I think we're not a banana republic. The people of Israel will choose when they'll have elections, who they elect, and it's not something that will be foisted upon us," Netanyahu said on "Fox & Friends Weekend," Sunday.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called on Israel to elect a new prime minister to replace Benjamin Netanyahu in order to move towards a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians in the form of a two-state solution.
The majority leader said he believed that "Prime Minister Netanyahu has lost his way by allowing his political survival to take the precedence over the best interests of Israel."
"It's wrong to try to replace the elected leaders of a sister democracy and a staunch American ally at any time, but especially during the time of war," the Israeli leader countered.
"Just imagine that, after 9/11, and when you're in the midst of fighting Al Qaeda, and winning... some Israeli would say, ‘oh, the right thing to do is not to have new elections in America or have President Bush resign.’ It's inappropriate. Shouldn't have been said. It's wrong."
In what was billed as a major speech on a two-state solution, Schumer said on the Senate floor on Thursday that Netanyahu was one of four obstacles to this solution. The other obstacles mentioned were Hamas and Palestinian supporters, "radical, right-wing" Israelis and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
"I don't know why Sen. Schumer made those statements. I think the only thing that we should be focused on is changing the regime in Gaza, bringing down the terrorist regime of Hamas, and not the duly elected government of Israel. That's the right policy," Netanyahu said.
President Biden seemed to sign off on these remarks, saying on Friday from the Oval Office, "Senator Schumer contacted my staff, my senior staff. I'm not going to elaborate on the speech. He made a good speech, and I think he expressed a serious concern, shared not only by him but by many Americans."
SCHUMER'S ANTI-NETANYAHU SPEECH STRENGTHENS BIBI IN ISRAEL'S WAR TO DEFEAT HAMAS
The remarks from Schumer come as Israel battles Hamas for the fifth straight month and fears of a wider war grow.
While Israeli forces continue to battle Hamas terrorists inside the Gaza Strip, U.S. leaders and officials from across the globe have increased calls for de-escalation and cease-fire.
Even President Biden, who initially championed himself as an unwavering supporter of Israel, seems to have changed his tune on the ongoing war.
During the State of the Union, President Biden was caught in a hot mic moment saying he and Netanyahu were going to have a "come to Jesus moment."
"What's happening is [Netanyahu] has a right to defend Israel, a right to continue to pursue Hamas, but he must pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost as a consequence of the actions taken," Biden told MSNBC anchor Jonathan Capehart, explaining the nature of his comment.
"He's hurting Israel more than helping Israel," he continued, adding that it was "contrary to what Israel stands for."
"I think it's a big mistake and I want to see a cease-fire," Biden told Capehart.
Many lawmakers and pundits have been critical of Biden's changed attitude towards the cease-fire, including the former president.
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"All of a sudden he dumped Israel. That's what he's doing. He dumped Israel," former President Donald Trump said on "MediaBuzz" Sunday. "He just said essentially that Bibi Netanyahu should take a walk."
Despite the political drama, Israel remains focused on its commitment to "total victory over Hamas."
"We need total victory over Hamas. We're within reach. We should do it," Netanyahu said. "We're going to do it while we enable the civilian population in Rafah to leave, as we've done up to now. But we have to finish the job. We need total victory. There's no substitute for total victory."
Fox News' Julia Johnson, Timothy H. J. Nerozzi and Jeffrey Clark contributed to this report.