House Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi said she believes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “should resign,” criticizing the Israeli leader’s aggressive response in Gaza to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and saying Netanyahu had been an obstacle to peace “for years”.
Pelosi made the remarks in an interview with Irish public broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann during a visit to Ireland. Democrats, including President Biden, have grown more and more critical of Netanyahu’s leadership as Israel continues its assault on Gaza.
“We recognize Israel’s right to protect itself,” Pelosi told the Irish media outlet. “We reject Netanyahu’s policy and practice. Terrible. What could be worse than what he did in response? First, the revelations. His intelligence chief resigned – he should resign . He is ultimately responsible.”
Asked if Netanyahu was an “obstacle” to peace, Pelosi said “that has been the case for years.”
“I don’t know if he’s afraid of peace, if he’s incapable of peace, or if he just doesn’t want peace,” Pelosi said. “But he was an obstacle to the two-state solution, I emphasize the word ‘solution’.”
Pelosi also recently called on the Biden administration to suspend arms transfers to Israel.
Pelosi is not the only prominent Democrat calling for new leadership in Israel. Last month, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Netanyahu had “lost his way” and called elections choose a new government.
Like most Democrats, Pelosi initially expressed strong support for Israel as he responded to the brutal Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack and kidnapping of Israeli citizens. But the reports and images of death and despair of civilians in Gaza and Netanyahu’s reluctance to reduce attacks have sparked growing tensions between U.S. and Israeli leaders. A a growing number of Americans say Mr. Biden should encourage Israel to cease its actions in Gaza.
The Senate Tuesday advanced a foreign aid program which provides an additional $26.4 billion to Israel, after the House approved the $95 billion in foreign aid in the form of four individual bills over the weekend.
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