WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden expressed support Friday for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer after the senator called for new elections in Israel, the latest sign that the U.S. relationship with its closest Middle East ally is careening toward fracture over the war in Gaza.
Schumer, a Jewish Democrat from New York, sent tremors through both countries this week when he said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has “lost his way” and warned that “Israel cannot survive if it becomes a pariah” as Palestinian casualties continue to grow.
“He made a good speech,” Biden said in the Oval Office during a meeting with Ireland’s prime minister. “I think he expressed serious concerns shared not only by him but by many Americans.”
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Schumer, a Jewish Democrat from New York, sent tremors through both countries this week when he said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has “lost his way” and warned that “Israel cannot survive if it becomes a pariah” as Palestinian casualties continue to grow.
“One would expect Sen. Schumer to respect Israel’s elected government and not undermine it,” Netanyahu’s political party Likud said in a statement.
Biden’s comments reflect the evolution of his views on the war, which began when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 Israelis.
The latest challenge to the U.S.-Israeli relationship is Israel’s plan to pursue Hamas into Rafah, a city in southern Gaza where displaced Palestinians have gathered to avoid fighting in the north.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking from Vienna, said “we have to see a clear and implementable plan” to safeguard civilians from an Israeli incursion.
Associated Press writers Julia Frankel in Jerusalem, Matt Lee in Vienna and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.
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