President Joe Biden is scheduled to have a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday morning Eastern time, marking their first known communication in over a month. The call comes at a time when the relationship between the two leaders has been strained, with recent events further widening the rift.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a key ally of President Biden, recently called for new Israeli elections that would potentially lead to Netanyahu's removal from office. While Biden acknowledged Schumer's remarks as reflecting the concerns of many Americans, he stopped short of explicitly endorsing or condemning the call for new elections in Israel.
Netanyahu, in response to Schumer's comments, expressed strong opposition during a television interview. He criticized the notion of external interference in Israel's democratic processes, stating, 'It’s inappropriate to go to a sister democracy and try to replace the elected leadership there. That’s something that Israel, the Israeli public does on its own, and we’re not a banana republic.'
The upcoming conversation between President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu holds significance against the backdrop of these recent developments. The dialogue between the two leaders may provide insights into the current state of U.S.-Israel relations and the potential paths forward in addressing the existing tensions.
