American leaders should stay out of internal Israeli politics, Israel's president says

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer should stay out of internal Israeli politics, Israel's president said in an interview Sunday.

"Whilst I respect Charles Schumer for his steadfast support of Israel. I would recommend to American political leaders not to intervene as such in Israeli politics, but leave it to the Israeli public and the body politic to take its own decision," President Isaac Herzog said in an interview with Axel Springer media outlets. POLITICO is owned by Axel Springer.

On March 14, Schumer called for Israel to hold new elections, saying part of the solution for the crises caused by the ongoing Israel-Hamas war would be for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be replaced. “The Netanyahu coalition no longer fits the needs of Israel after Oct. 7," he said.

Netanyahu subsequently denounced Schumer's call for change. “It’s inappropriate to go to a sister democracy and try to replace the elected leadership there," he said on March 17.

Herzog said he had not personally spoken to Schumer about his remarks.

Schumer's remarks were shared with the Biden White House in advance, and President Joe Biden subsequently praised Schumer for "a good speech."

For his part, Herzog said he considered Biden to be a "great friend of Israel," citing his advocacy for the Israeli aid bill passed Saturday as proof of support.

"I have great respect and affection for President Biden," Herzog said in the interview, adding: "It's in his, as we say in Yiddish, in his kishkas. And I respect him a lot."

"Kishkas" is a Yiddish word defined by the JPS Dictionary of Jewish Words as "slang for guts or intestines."

While Herzog is president of Israel, he was elected separately from Netanyahu and previously served as leader of the opposition to Netanyahu within the Knesset, Israel's parliament. Herzog's father, Chaim Herzog, was the country's president from 1983 to 1993; the position is largely ceremonial.