National Security Council spokesman John Kirby would not say on Sunday if President Joe Biden agrees with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D‑NY) call for new elections in Israel.
Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish official in the United States, delivered his strongest condemnation to date of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday. The Senate majority leader criticized Netanyahu’s actions in Gaza and accused the Israeli leader of using the war to protect himself politically.
As for the election call, Schumer cautioned that neither he nor the U.S. was trying to influence the future race. He also suggested it take place “once the war starts to wind down.”
“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 …