Chuck Schumer doesn’t get it and should stay out of Israeli politics

Recent remarks by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) concerning Israel have sparked considerable debate. As a member of Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, committed to the values of democracy and national sovereignty that define Israel, I find it imperative to address the misconceptions that underpin Schumer’s statements.

Schumer’s foray into Israel’s political landscape, under the guise of concern, disregards the fundamental principles of democracy and national sovereignty. Israel, a beacon of democratic values in a turbulent region, sees this interference as an affront to its autonomy.

True allies respect each other’s independence. They collaborate without overstepping boundaries. Such unsolicited interference, particularly from a nation we hold in high regard, risks eroding the mutual respect that is crucial to our alliance.

Equally troubling is Schumer’s positioning of Israel and Hamas on the same moral spectrum as obstacles to peace. Although he stopped short of drawing a direct equivalence, the implied comparison diminishes the stark contrast between Israel, a democratic state defending its citizens, and Hamas, a terrorist organization committed to destruction.

This attempt to find a moral middle ground between a firefighter and an arsonist is profoundly misguided. Even the most extreme elements of Israel’s government do not pay salaries to terrorists for deliberately massacring civilians. They do not name streets after terrorists. They do not educate their children to hate Palestinians and to prepare for a life of committing terrorist acts against them. The Palestinian Authority, which the American administration embraces as the more moderate Palestinian faction, does all these things.

The heart of the recent tensions between the U.S. administration and Israel lie in several policy disagreements, where Israel’s stance is not only defensible but essential to its survival. The Biden administration’s push for a Palestinian state as a post-conflict resolution overlooks the dangerous precedent of rewarding terror. Its proposal for the Palestinian Authority to assume leadership in Gaza, despite its track record of endorsing terror, is equally misguided.

Furthermore, the attempt to thwart Israel’s necessary military actions in Rafah fails to recognize the imperative of dismantling Hamas’s capabilities to ensure regional stability. These criticisms not only misconstrue Israel’s defensive measures as aggressive but also overlook the broader implications for global democracy and peace.

Schumer fails to grasp the complex realities facing Israel and, by extension, the free world. By undermining Israel’s independence and casting aspersions on its policies, Schumer is inadvertently aligning against the shared values of democracy, freedom and security that form the bedrock of the Israel-U.S. alliance.

At a time when solidarity and understanding are paramount, such remarks only serve to embolden adversaries and undermine the principles we jointly uphold.

MK Dan Illouz, of the Likud Party, is a member of the Foreign Affairs and Defense committee in the Knesset.