Simon Wiesenthal Center Urges Senator Chuck Schumer to Respect Israeli Democracy & Withdraw His Call to Remove Prime Minister Netanyahu

March 15, 2024

In response to US Senator Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s call for the removal of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from office, Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Associate Dean and Director of Global Social Action Agenda for SWC, issued the following statement:

“Speaker Schumer, a longtime supporter of Israel, knows that the US’ trusted ally is the only vibrant democracy in the Middle East.  As such, and especially in the midst of an existential war of survival against Iran-backed terrorist groups, it was beyond inappropriate for Senator Schumer to make such a declaration from the floor of the US Senate.

The inevitable result of such a gratuitous insult, was the strengthening of Prime Minister Netanyahu, as prominent political opponents rallied to his side to defend Israel’s democracy.   We urge Speaker Schumer to withdraw his call for a democratically elected Prime Minister to be removed.  Leave that decision to the people of Israel when they vote in open and fair elections.”

For further information, please email Michele Alkin, Director of Global Communications at malkin@wiesenthal.com or Erik Simon at esimon@wiesenthal.com, join the Center on Facebook, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent directly to your Twitter feed. 

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is an international Jewish human rights organization. It holds consultative status at the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the OAS, and the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO).