Chuck Schumer, Senate Majority Leader, called this Thursday for the impeachment of Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu for "having lost his way" and for Israel to have a new prime minister who is focused on pacifying the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians with the creation of two States. Schumer's demand generated reactions from both Republicans and Democrats.
Democrat Dean Phillips, ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on the Middle East, said he shares Schumer's perspective. However, he emphasized that the Senate majority leader's statements were irresponsible.
"It's as irresponsible for a senior Congressional leader to call for elections in Israel as it was for Netanyahu and Republicans to breach protocol by arranging his 2015 speech before Congress without White House consent," Phillips said in statements reported by Axios.
Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) agreed with Phillips and explained that although he does not agree with the Government of Israel, he respects Israel's democracy and its elected leaders. "Although I have disagreements with Israel's government, I respect the Israelis' right to decide for themselves when to call elections and whom to choose as their leaders", Schneider said.
John Fetterman (D-Pa.). He also stressed that "I would demand that there be no foreign influence on our elections, so I'm not into that"
"It's very inappropriate"
For the leader of the Republican minority in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, it is the Israelis who must decide who leads the country. “Israel is not a colony of America whose leaders serve at the pleasure of the party in power in Washington. Only Israel’s citizens should have a say in who runs their government,” McConnell said from the House floor which was reported by The Guardian.
Similar was the reaction from Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, who called the comments inappropriate. Additionally, Johnson noted that Schumer is playing a decisive role in Israeli policy, something he considers inappropriate.
"We want to speak very clearly and concisely to say that this is not only highly inappropriate, it’s just plain wrong for an American leader to play such a divisive role in Israeli politics while our closest ally in the region is in an existential battle for its very survival" Johnson said at a news conference alongside other House Republican leaders.
Despite the strong criticism of Schumer's statements, the speech also received applause from progressive legislators. This is the case of socialist senator Bernie Sanders who defended that - in his opinion - Schumer has the right to give his opinion regarding the resources that Israel receives from the United States in its fight against the terrorist group Hamas. "We give $3.5 billion a year to Israel ... so this is very much an issue of concern for the American people and Sen. Schumer has every right to speak out on it," Sanders said.
Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) also argued that even though Israel is an independent country and has the right to choose its leaders in elections, the United States has "the right to comment on the policies of Prime Minister Netanyahu." considering the funds we give him.
