Cardin defends Schumer speech on Israel, urges public to listen to complete remarks

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ben Cardin (D-Md.) defended Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) speech on Israel, saying the public should not rely solely on his comments about Israeli leadership. He said people should listen to what he has to say in full instead of focusing on it.

“I think people should hear all of his speeches. Sen. Schumer’s speech came from his heart, which he believes is necessary for peace,” Cardin said on NBC News’ “Meet. He spoke in an interview with The Press.

“He has made it very clear that Hamas needs to be eliminated and that with Hamas there can be no peace in the Middle East for either Palestinians or Israelis. He is clearly responsible for what is happening there. in Hamas. Israel has the perfect right to defend itself.”

Cardin said Schumer’s comments about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu being an “obstacle” to peace in the region were referring to how the country should move forward after the war.

“What he’s talking about is how we…move after the war. How can we bring peace to this region? And he’s saying that we need security and that the Palestinians and Israelis… We were very clear about the fact that we need an authority for the Palestinian people that provides security for them, but we also need a path for the two states to coexist peacefully.”

“And I think with Mr. Schumer, he was very clear that it’s the Israelis and the system that needs to give clear direction on who they want to be their leader,” Cardin said. added.

Asked whether he called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu an obstacle to peace, Cardin said: “I think it’s up to Israelis to choose their own leaders.”

“We are aware that there were challenges with the Netanyahu coalition before October 7th. There are real concerns that before October 7th there will be major divisions within Israel. We are united now because of the war. ‘Let’s see what happens after the war,’ he added.