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| AP |
Schumer, a Jewish Democrat from New York, shook both countries this week when he said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has "lost his way" and warned that "Israel cannot survive if it becomes a pariah" as the number of Palestinian deaths continues to rise.
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"He gave a good speech," Biden said in the Oval Office during a meeting with the Prime Minister of Ireland. "I think he has expressed serious concerns shared not only by him, but by many Americans."
The president, also a Democrat, did not repeat Schumer's call for Israel to hold elections, a step that would likely end Netanyahu's term due to growing discontent with his leadership.
However, Biden's comments reflect his own frustration with the Israeli Prime Minister, who has hindered efforts to expand humanitarian aid to Gaza and has opposed the creation of an independent Palestinian state.
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The latest point of friction has been Israel's intention to pursue Hamas to Rafah, a southern Gaza city to which 1.4 million Palestinians displaced by the fighting in the north have fled.
For its part, Netanyahu's office said on Friday that it approved a military operation that would involve the eviction of civilians, but some U.S. officials are concerned about the possibility of further bloodshed.
