Current:Home > ContactBiden backs Schumer after senator calls for new elections in Israel -NextGenWealth
Biden backs Schumer after senator calls for new elections in Israel
View
Date:2025-04-27 18:46:35
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.”
The Democratic president’s backing for Schumer could further frustrate Netanyahu, whose political party has already sharply criticized the U.S. senator.
“One would expect Sen. Schumer to respect Israel’s elected government and not undermine it,” Netanyahu’s political party Likud said in a statement. “This is always true, and even more so in wartime.”
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. Since then, Israel’s counterattack has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza.
After his State of the Union speech earlier this month, Biden said that he needed to have a “come to Jesus” conversation with Netanyahu. He also accused Netanyahu of “hurting Israel more than helping Israel” with his leadership of the war.
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.
“We have not seen such a plan,” he said.
But Blinken said tough conversations between allies do not mean the alliance is fracturing.
“That’s actually the strength of the relationship, to be able to speak clearly, candidly and directly,” he said.
___
Associated Press writers Julia Frankel in Jerusalem, Matt Lee in Vienna and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.
veryGood! (569)
Related
- 'We're reborn!' Gazans express joy at returning home to north
- Mississippi man found not guilty of threatening Republican US Sen. Roger Wicker
- After Taylor Swift post, Caitlin Clark encourages voting but won't endorse Kamala Harris
- 'Fine Taylor...you win': Elon Musk reacts to Taylor Swift's endorsement for Harris-Walz
- Megan Fox's ex Brian Austin Green tells Machine Gun Kelly to 'grow up'
- Trainer Gunnar Peterson’s Daughter, 4, Cancer Free After Bone Marrow Transplant From Brother
- Aubrey Plaza, Stevie Nicks, more follow Taylor Swift in endorsements and urging people to vote
- US filings for unemployment benefits inch up slightly but remain historically low
- Don't let hackers fool you with a 'scam
- Trainer Gunnar Peterson’s Daughter, 4, Cancer Free After Bone Marrow Transplant From Brother
Ranking
- How to watch new prequel series 'Dexter: Original Sin': Premiere date, cast, streaming
- 2024 MTV VMAs: Taylor Swift Living Her Best Life in Audience Prove She's the Ultimate Cheer Captain
- Kendrick Lamar releases untitled track; song references feud, is first since 'Not Like Us'
- Get 50% Off Lancome Concealer, Beautyblender, L'ange Hair Care, StriVectin Neck Serum & $10 Ulta Deals
- McConnell absent from Senate on Thursday as he recovers from fall in Capitol
- Who won the $810 million Mega Millions jackpot in Texas? We may never know.
- Why Olivia Rodrigo Skipped the 2024 MTV VMAs
- Kentucky authorities still hunting suspect in I-75 shooting that injured 5
Recommendation
Romantasy reigns on spicy BookTok: Recommendations from the internet’s favorite genre
Amazon drops 2024 'Toys We Love' list for early holiday shoppers
North Carolina’s public universities cut 59 positions as part of a massive DEI overhaul this summer
Man accused in assault that critically wounded Ferguson officer now faces more charges
As Trump Enters Office, a Ripe Oil and Gas Target Appears: An Alabama National Forest
Nikki Garcia files to divorce Artem Chigvintsev weeks after his domestic violence arrest
An Ohio city reshaped by Haitian immigrants lands in an unwelcome spotlight
Justin Timberlake reaches plea deal to resolve drunken driving case, AP source says