US Senate leader calls for 'new election' in Israel

The leader of the US Senate, Chuck Schumer, called Thursday for the Israeli government to hold new elections in a speech suggesting that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu risked making the US ally a "pariah."

"At this critical juncture, I believe a new election is the only way to allow for a healthy and open decision-making process about the future of Israel, at a time when so many Israelis have lost their confidence in the vision and direction of their government," Democrat Chuck Schumer - the highest-ranking Jewish politician in the United States - said in a floor speech.

Schumer, the highest-ranking elected Jewish official in US history, said Netanyahu had surrounded himself with right-wing extremists and "has been too willing to tolerate the civilian toll in Gaza, which is pushing support for Israel worldwide to historic lows."

"Israel cannot survive if it becomes a pariah," Schumer said.

The speech came amid growing discontent among Democrats in Congress and increased pressure from President Joe Biden on the Netanyahu government over the mounting death toll in Gaza.



AFP