In Sen. Mark Warner’s weekly media availability earlier today, he was asked about his reaction to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s major speech earlier today on the four main obstacles (Hamas, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, “radical right-wing Israelis,” Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu) to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – and what to about it. To view Sen. Schumer’s speech, which was superb – I agree with pretty much all of it – see below. Warner’s comments. As for Sen. Warner, here’s what he had to say:
“I was last in Israel in January. I’ve been a long-term supporter of Israel…Israel has clearly has a right to defend itself after the horrific massacres perpetrated by Hamas on October 7th. But I am concerned that with 30,000 Palestinians killed and that number rising every day, with the level of settler violence in the West Bank and the fact that it does not appear that Prime Minister Netanyahu is anxious in trying to allow humanitarian aid in to the Palestinians. I don’t think he’s leaned in and off on trying to to tamp down settler violence in the West Bank. We’re now in the holy month of Ramadan for Muslims around the world and the possibility of of this war erupting not just in Gaza but potentially in the West Bank or potentially in the north of Israel with its border with Lebanon is huge. And I think in many ways Prime Minister Netanyahu has been disrespectful in terms of his treatment of Secretary Blinken who has made a number of appeals. And I’ll just say this – Prime Minister Netanyahu was not shy about trying to interfere in American politics, particularly when President Obama was in office in terms of, of clearly showing his political preference against Obama. You know, Israel will make its own decision on who its leadership ought to be, but everything I’ve seen in terms of polls coming out of Israel shows that if an election were held, I don’t think Prime Minister Netanyahu would be returned to power.”
Bingo!
P.S. To see the entire media availability with Sen. Warner, see below Sen. Schumer’s speech…
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