Glazer wasn’t the only prominent Jewish figure who used a public platform to express moral confusion about Israel this week. While Chuck Schumer’s speech in the Senate yesterday was less egregious, his status as a senior Democratic legislator with a reputation for being pro-Israel makes it more concerning. In that speech, Schumer condemned Benjamin Netanyahu as an “obstacle to peace,” and declared that his coalition “no longer fits the needs of Israel after October 7.” Schumer seems unaware that Benny Gantz, Netanyahu’s most popular political rival, joined that coalition when the war began. Elliott Abrams comments on this “unprecedented and indefensible” criticism of a democratic ally:
Schumer seems deeply confused about what Israelis want. Prime Minister Netanyahu is very unpopular and may well lose the next election—or be tossed out sooner if he loses his majority in the Knesset. But his unpopularity is tied to accusations of corruption and last year’s judicial reform battle, not to “peace.” In fact, the Israeli populace supports the actions of the current war cabinet.
Israelis are notoriously outspoken and have a vibrant democracy. In the middle of a war the very last thing they need is for a Democratic party politician to elevate his own party’s electoral needs over Israeli national security and over Israeli democracy. This speech . . . appears to signal a continuing campaign against Netanyahu. It’s a shameful and unprecedented way to treat an ally, and an unconscionable interference in the internal politics of another democracy.
A few hours after giving the speech, Schumer tentatively walked it back, posting on X that “As a democracy, Israel has the right to choose its own leaders. But the important thing is that Israelis are given a choice.”
Read more on Pressure Points: https://www.cfr.org/blog/schumer-s-attack-ally-war