Netanyahu assails Schumer, dramatizing partisan split over Israel

WASHINGTON – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel assailed Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York on Wednesday in a closed-door speech to Senate Republicans, days after the Democratic majority leader branded him an impediment to peace in the Middle East and called for a new election to replace him after the war winds down.

Netanyahu’s virtual appearance in front of Republicans – and a refusal by Schumer to allow him to make a similar address to Senate Democrats – dramatized the growing partisan split on Capitol Hill and in American politics over Netanyahu’s leadership and Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip.

In the meeting, Netanyahu called Schumer’s speech last week on the Senate floor “wholly inappropriate and outrageous,” according to Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who attended. And many Republican senators spoke up to say they agreed with him.

“He was not happy,” Hawley said of the prime minister. “He made that very clear.”

In an explosive speech last week, Schumer listed Netanyahu alongside Hamas as one of the major impediments to peace, and tried to lay out the case that Americans can love and support Israel and still criticize Netanyahu and his far-right government.

President Joe Biden called it a “good speech” and some Democrats applauded Schumer for speaking out at a moment when Israel’s offensive against Hamas has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths in Gaza, including civilians. But conservative Jewish groups and Republicans were stunned and dismayed, and accused Schumer of crossing a dangerous line.

Former President Donald Trump went even further, saying in an interview that Jews who vote for Democrats “hate Israel” and their religion. It was an extreme version of a tactic many elected Republicans have long attempted, portraying Democrats who question Netanyahu or his policies as denouncing Israel itself and even being antisemitic.

Netanyahu’s appearance at Wednesday’s closed-door GOP confab was not the first time that he has waded into a bitter partisan struggle over support for Israel, allying himself with Republicans eager to showcase their backing for the Jewish state. In 2015, the prime minister accepted an invitation by House Republicans to make his case to Congress against the Iran nuclear deal, without consulting the White House then in the throes of negotiating the deal.

On Wednesday, Netanyahu told Republicans on Capitol Hill that his policies reflect the consensus of Israelis and that Schumer’s remarks would have no bearing on how he planned to move forward with his offensive.

“He made it very clear that he intends to prosecute the war against Hamas to the full extent of his power, and he said the American people are behind him,” Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said. “He said that even if we have to go alone, we will not stop.”

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the minority leader, said he conveyed to Netanyahu that he believed Schumer had crossed a line in “giving a democratic ally advice about when to have an election or what kind of military campaign they should be conducting.”

“It seems to me the bipartisan support for Israel seems to be cracking,” McConnell said, making it clear that he thought the Democrats were responsible.

In his speech, Schumer accused Netanyahu of pursuing policies that undermine Israel’s own democratic values and endanger the possibility of a two-state solution in the future. He has accused Republicans of politicizing support for Israel, which in the past was always bipartisan, and blamed Netanyahu for only catering to Republicans.

In the meeting, Netanyahu asked Republicans to continue their vocal support for Israel and to allow it to finish the war, according to multiple attendees.

“He emphasized several times that Israel is not asking for American ground troops, not asking America to fight its war,” Hawley said. Netanyahu did ask for financial help to “finish the job” and urged senators to support whatever bill the House sent them that included billions of dollars in aid for Israel.

Hawley said Republicans asked Netanyahu directly for numbers on the civilian death toll in Gaza. “He was very mindful of it, he talked about it at some length,” Hawley said, noting that Netanyahu assured them the Israelis were making every effort to minimize civilian casualties. He said he estimated the death toll to be about 28,000, about 2,000 fewer than the Gaza health ministry has said.

Israeli officials had asked if Netanyahu could also address Democrats during their closed-door weekly lunch, but Schumer rejected the request because he said he did not think it was appropriate for a foreign leader to address American elected officials in a single-party forum.

“Sen. Schumer made it clear that he does not think these discussions should happen in a partisan manner,” a spokesperson said. “That’s not helpful to Israel.”

Schumer on Wednesday defended his address, amid a flood of accusations that he was interfering in the democratic process of a close ally.

“I gave the speech out of a real love for Israel,” he said. “If you read the speech, we called only for there to be an election after the hostilities have declined, after Hamas was defeated.”

Republicans made it clear they planned to continue to hammer Schumer and to blame Democrats for the growing partisan divide over support for Israel.

“Schumer doesn’t have to like or dislike Benjamin Netanyahu on a personal level,” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said. “Schumer’s attack was directed at the people of Israel, because it’s the people of Israel who went and voted. Chuck Schumer had the arrogance and audacity to seek to instruct another nation as if it were a vassal state, a banana republic.”

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.