Schumer declines Netanyahu’s Senate address request following critical speech

Schumer Rejects Netanyahu’s Request to⁢ Address Senate Democrats

Senate‌ Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has‍ reportedly turned down Israeli⁣ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s request to address Senate Democrats​ at their caucus lunch Wednesday.

While the Israeli prime minister spoke to‌ Senate Republicans⁢ at a lunch Wednesday, Schumer denied his request to speak with Senate Democrats over video call, saying, “these conversations shouldn’t happen in a partisan manner,” Punchbowl ‍News ⁢reported.

When asked by reporters on Wednesday about‌ denying Netanyahu’s request,⁣ Schumer responded, “When you make the ​issue partisan, you hurt the cause⁣ of‍ Israel.”

Last week, Schumer, ⁤the United States’s highest-ranking Jewish official, criticized Netanyahu in his speech,⁤ saying he⁣ had “lost his way” and called on Israel to hold new elections. Schumer mentioned ⁣that his comments ⁢were deeply rooted in his Jewish faith.

Schumer has faced backlash from Republicans for his recent comments, with former ‍President Donald Trump saying, “Any Jewish person who votes for Democrats hates their religion.”

President Joe⁣ Biden supported Schumer’s speech, stating, “he made a‌ good speech, and I think he expressed serious concern shared not⁤ only by him but by ‍many‍ Americans.”

Netanyahu, ​in response to Schumer’s remarks, called them “totally inappropriate.”

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Biden had his first conversation with Netanyahu in over a month on Monday; tensions have escalated due to Israel’s actions in the Gaza conflict. While Biden initially supported Netanyahu following the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, his stance has shifted as casualties⁤ in Gaza mount.

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