'He is bad for the world': Trump sparks backlash after he says ‘Democrats are bad for Israel’
PALM BEACH, FLORIDA: Former President Donald Trump unleashed a barrage of criticism aimed at Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) following Schumer's call for new elections in Israel.
Trump's remarks came during an interview with Fox News 'MediaBuzz' host Howard Kurtz on Sunday, March 17, where he accused the Democratic Party of adopting poor policies towards Israel.
Chuck Schumer's call for Israeli elections
Schumer, widely regarded as one of the most influential Jewish politicians in the United States and a staunch supporter of Israel, delivered a speech on Thursday advocating for fresh elections in Israel.
He argued that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had "lost his way" and criticized his handling of the conflict in Gaza, which, according to Schumer, has led to a decline in global support for Israel. Schumer said Netanyahu has been “too willing to tolerate the civilian toll in Gaza, which is pushing support for Israel worldwide to historic lows.”
Donald Trump's response to Chuck Schumer's comments
In response to Schumer's comments, Trump asserted that Schumer's call for new elections amounted to interference in another country's governance.
“One hundred percent. There’s no question about it,” Trump told Kurtz on Sunday. “The Democrats are very bad for Israel. Israel sticks with them. I guess Israel is loyal, maybe to a fault, because they stick with these guys. Biden is so bad for Israel.”
“If [Biden] were a supporter of Israel, the Iran nuclear deal would have never been signed, and Israel would have never been attacked,” Trump added, referencing the controversial accord signed during Biden's tenure as vice president.
'SO BAD FOR ISRAEL': Donald Trump blasts Biden and Democrats over their lack of support for Israel amid calls to oust prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. https://t.co/NBtjoY0jZh pic.twitter.com/XC335uQsP1
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 17, 2024
Netanyahu, pushing back against Schumer's remarks, denounced the senator's intervention as "totally inappropriate," likening it to political meddling. “We’re not a banana republic,” Netanyahu said, insisting that he's still widely popular in Israel. “I think the only government that we should be working on to bring down now is the terrorist tyranny in Gaza.”
While Democrats have historically aligned themselves with Israel, recent events have seen increased scrutiny of the country's actions, particularly amidst the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
President Biden himself has expressed concerns over the scale of Israel's offensive in Gaza, drawing criticism from Trump, who accused Biden of "dumping Israel" in favor of political expediency.
“[Biden] looks at, ‘Where do I get more votes?’ And I guess he’s seeing, you know, the Palestinians, and he’s seeing the marches, and they are big,” Trump said. “Then he says, ‘I want to go that way instead of Israel'. I don’t know how Israel stays with these two people. I just don’t know.”
“But he obviously said, ‘I see a lot of people protesting out there, and they happen to be Palestinians or wherever from the Middle East',” he continued. “And he was probably shocked to see it, and all of a sudden he dumped Israel. That’s what he’s doing.”
“He just said essentially that Bibi Netanyahu should take a walk,” Trump concluded, as quoted by The Hill.
Social media backlash
Critics swiftly lambasted Trump on social media following his assertion that Democrats are "bad for Israel."
"Such insight," one posted on X.
"Trump is bad for the world," another insisted.
"This guy just conflated Jewish Americans with Israel," a comment read.
"Maybe, just maybe it's because Democrats don't work with Nazis and White Supremacists. They also don't go around idolizing or quoting Hitler at political rallies," someone else fumed.
"We push Israel to get rid of a horrific government- just like you would have, Trump," another chimed in.
Maybe, just maybe it's because Democrats don't work with Nazis and White Supremacists. They also don't go around idolizing or quoting Hitler at political rallies.
— David A. Martinez (@tabatt13) March 16, 2024
We push Israel to get rid of a horrific government- just like you would have, Trump.
— XDarwinAwardsX (@XDarwinAwardsX) March 15, 2024
Israel-Hamas conflict
Amidst the political discourse, the conflict between Israel and Hamas, which erupted on October 7, remains a focal point. The unprecedented attack by Hamas claimed the lives of over 1,200 individuals, predominantly civilians, and led to the kidnapping of 253 others.
Both sides have reported significant casualties, with Hamas alleging nearly 31,000 Palestinian deaths, a figure disputed by Israel. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) assert they have targeted over 13,000 terrorists in Gaza and approximately 1,000 within Israel since the outbreak of hostilities.
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