Netanyahu Assails Schumer, Dramatizing Partisan Split Over Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel assailed Senator Chuck Schumer on Wednesday in a closed-door speech to Senate Republicans, days after the Democratic majority leader branded him an impediment to peace in the Middle East and called for a new election to replace him after the war winds down.

Mr. Netanyahu’s virtual appearance in front of Republicans — and a refusal by Mr. Schumer to allow him to make a similar address to Senate Democrats — dramatized the growing partisan split on Capitol Hill and in American politics over Mr. Netanyahu’s leadership and Israel’s offensive in Gaza.

In the meeting, Mr. Netanyahu called Mr. Schumer’s speech last week on the Senate floor “wholly inappropriate and outrageous,” according to Senator Josh Hawley, Republican of Missouri, who attended. And many Republican senators spoke up to say they agreed with him.

“He was not happy,” Mr. Hawley said of the prime minister. “He made that very clear.”

In an explosive speech last week, Mr. Schumer listed Mr. Netanyahu alongside Hamas as one of the major impediments to peace, and tried to lay out the case that Americans can love and support Israel and still be deeply critical of Mr. Netanyahu and his far-right government.

President Biden called it a “good speech” and some Democrats applauded Mr. Schumer for speaking out at a moment when Israel’s offensive against Hamas has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths in Gaza, including civilians. But conservative Jewish groups and Republicans were stunned and dismayed, and accused Mr. Schumer of crossing a dangerous line.

Former President Donald J. Trump went even further, saying in an interview that Jews who vote for Democrats “hate Israel” and their religion. It was an extreme version of a tactic many elected Republicans have long attempted, portraying Democrats who question Mr. Netanyahu or his policies as denouncing Israel itself and even being antisemitic.