WASHINGTON: US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Thursday that Israel must make significant course corrections to achieve enduring peace with the Palestinians.
In a Senate speech, he said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government no longer fits the requirements of Israel after October 7.
As a longtime supporter of Israel and the highest-ranking Jewish elected American official, Schumer said it would be a big mistake for Israel to reject a two-state solution and called upon negotiators in the Israel-Gaza conflict to do everything possible to free hostages, secure a ceasefire, and get assistance into Gaza.
Schumer said that if Prime Minister Netanyahu’s current coalition remains in government after the war starts to wind down, and continues to pursue inflammatory and dangerous policies that test the current US standards for aid, then Washington will have no choice but to play a more active role in shaping Israeli policy by using its leverage to change the present course, according to US media reports.
Need of fresh debate about Israel’s future
As a democracy, Israel has the right to elect its own leaders, and we should let the chips fall where they may. But the important thing is that Israelis had a choice. There should be a fresh debate about the future of the country after October 7, he said, adding that in his opinion, that is best accomplished by holding an election.
