Schumer's Israel speech angers readers

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer makes several good points in calling for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ouster [“Call for Israel elections,” News, March 15]. Well, I want Netanyahu out, too. But it’s not my call.

Every call for his exit is a bow to the antisemites in that it redirects responsibility for this war. There is no complexity here. Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis and took 240 as hostages from Israeli soil.

Israel went to war with two objectives: Get the hostages back alive and neutralize Hamas so that it can’t do this again. So far, the Israel Defense Forces have been fairly successful in the second objective.

The Netanyahu government has offered opportunities for the cessation of hostilities conditioned on Hamas returning the hostages and laying down its arms. Hamas has refused. So, it seems that the ball is in Hamas’ court.

Israel has tried to minimize the killing of civilians — an amazing thing in war. Israel has provided food for some civilians. Yet the world seems focused on Israel laying down its arms.

Schumer and others are wrong to call for the Israelis to do anything besides what they’re doing. The focus should be on Hamas stopping what it’s doing. Hamas should remove all of its murderous, antisemitic leaders.

— Joseph Slater, Woodbury

It is outrageous that Chuck Schumer and President Joe Biden have interfered with the political process of a sovereign nation that is a close ally by publicly advising the Israeli people to choose new leaders because their current ones do not agree with Biden and Schumer’s vision of U.S. policy toward Israel “Biden is walking a tight line on Israel,” Opinion, March 15].

Of course, a cynical observer might conclude that the real reason for their comments is to placate the left wing of the Democratic Party ahead of the upcoming election.

We should all be reminded that the Israelis have been fighting implacable and deadly terrorist organizations, which directly have threatened their national security for 75 years and as such do not need advice from the U.S. government.

— Michael J. Moonitz, Massapequa

I agree with one thing Chuck Schumer said: that “insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.” Since 1937, the Palestinians have repeatedly rejected any partition or offer of two states — most recently in 2000 and 2008.

Schumer’s speech seemed designed to placate his party’s progressive wing, particularly in Michigan. But his dangerous words do nothing more than encourage Hamas to bide its time hiding below ground with its stolen humanitarian supplies.

The insanity of not letting Israel vanquish Hamas from Gaza will just lead to future wars and more Palestinian hardship. Want a cease fire? Have Hamas release all the hostages and surrender.

— Arthur Feldman, New Hyde Park

Chuck Schumer’s speech was his finest hour. I am an American Jew. I am 100% for the United States, 100% for Israel and 100% against the regime of Benjamin Netanyahu.

— Steven Ross, Kew Gardens, Queens

Chuck Schumer is calling for Israel to initiate a cease fire in Gaza. Didn’t this battle start with an Oct. 7 invasion and loss of life of Israelis? Had there been no invasion or taking of hostages, there would have been no Israeli war of retaliation. Did Hamas think the Israelis would just take it?

The Israelis learned their lesson from the Holocaust. Schumer should look back to Oct. 7 and rethink his remarks.

I am not Jewish, but I feel the Israelis have every right to do what they are doing, especially to get back the hostages.

— Marian Milne, Oceanside

Chuck Schumer’s speech sickens me to no end. I used to believe the senator really cared about Israel and would say and do things to show the world he would not stay silent on things like Hamas’ Oct. 7 murderous invasion in Israel.

Schumer’s speech was disgraceful and, I am sorry to say, antisemitic. And on top of this, President Joe Biden now shows less support for Israel. When Israel stands up and shows its military strength, the world starts to gang up on it.

— Don Otlin, Franklin Square

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said that “foreign observers” should refrain from weighing in about Israel. I guess the billions of dollars we’ve given Israel over the years were provided anonymously.

— John T. O’Connell, Bay Shore

I find it absurd that two men who spent a lifetime in government should tell anyone else how to run their government. Would they say this to any other country that wasn’t Israel?

— Andrew Siegel, Farmingdale