US President Joe Biden claimed today many Americans share Chuck Schumer’s concernsof head of the Democratic majority in the Senatewho in a recent speech he called for new elections in Israel and sharply criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, considering him to be an obstacle to peace in the Middle East.

“It was a good speech,” Biden said when asked by reporters in the Oval Office about Schumer’s remarks. “He expressed a serious concern, which is shared by many Americans,” he added. He also noted that Schumer had briefed him and his staff before delivering his speech.

Schumer, a longtime supporter of Israel and the highest-ranking elected US official of Jewish descent, told the Senate that Netanyahu’s government was no longer meeting the country’s needs, five months into the war that began over a Hamas attack on Israeli territory. ground, on October 7.

His speech reflected Washington’s growing irritation with Netanyahu, the way he is waging the war, his failure to protect Palestinian civilians and his perceived obstruction of humanitarian aid to Gaza. International criticism of the US for the support it provides to Israel is intensifying due to the high number of casualties and the food crisis in the enclave.

In the same speech Sumer also criticized Palestinians who support Hamas and said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas should also “step aside”. He argued that it would be a “grave mistake” for Israel to reject the two-state solution and urged negotiators to do everything possible to achieve a ceasefire, free the hostages and get humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Biden’s comment today confirmed the rift between Washington and the Israeli government. A few days ago, the US president said that Netanyahu is doing “more harm than good to Israel” with the war in Gaza.