Chris Coons Calls Israel’s Netanyahu ‘An Exceptionally Difficult Partner’ To Deal With | EUROtoday

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) on Sunday known as Benjamin Netanyahu “an exceptionally difficult partner” for the U.S. to work with amid the battle in Gaza after the Israeli prime minister mentioned he was “proud” to stop the institution of a Palestinian state.

In an interview with CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Coons mentioned whereas the U.S. has been proper to help Israel in its struggle in opposition to Hamas following the brutal Oct. 7 assault that claimed the lives of round 1,200 Israelis, it’s been powerful coping with Netanyahu.

“What has been a real challenge is the big gap between most of us in Congress and the president who believe a two-state solution is the only way forward, and Prime Minister Netanyahu who has done everything he can to undermine a positive vision for peace for Israel,” Coons mentioned.

Netanyahu on Saturday mentioned “among friends it’s important not to foster illusions,” alluding to the U.S. help for a two-state answer.

“I’m proud that I prevented the establishment of a Palestinian state,” Netanyahu added.

Netanyahu additionally pledged to proceed the battle, which has up to now claimed the lives of over 18,700 Palestinians, in response to native officers. IDF forces additionally unintentionally killed three hostages in Gaza Friday, prompting calls from nations, together with the U.Ok. and Germany, for a “sustainable” cease-fire.

“Israel has the right to defend itself but, in doing so, it must abide by international humanitarian law. Israel will not win this war if its operations destroy the prospect of peaceful coexistence with Palestinians,” U.Ok. Foreign Secretary David Cameron and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote in The Sunday Times.

Asked to weigh into whether or not the Biden administration ought to apply circumstances on extra army assist to Israel in gentle of the nation’s relentless bombing of Gaza, as many progressives together with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) have demanded, Coons replied that recipients of U.S. help are already required to stick by worldwide legislation.

Coons added that Biden and different U.S. officers have visited Israel because the battle started and “have had some success in pressing Prime Minister Netanyahu to change direction, most recently in reining in settler violence in the West Bank.”

But Coons echoed Biden in saying that right-wing figures in Netanyahu’s authorities, together with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, have made it exhausting for the Israeli chief to maneuver.

Meanwhile, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) mentioned Israel seems to be ignoring U.S. requires extra restraint with the intention to stop civilian casualties in Gaza, including that the U.S. “is not a bystander to this” so long as it’s offering funding and gear for Israel’s battle.

“We continue to see unacceptably high levels of civilian casualties,” Van Hollen advised ABC’s “This Week.” “And when it comes to the humanitarian crisis, we still have a near-total siege.”

Van Hollen additionally took direct intention at Netanyahu, noting the prime minister’s efforts to weaken the Palestinian Authority, which opposes Hamas.

“This is the organization that recognized Israel’s right to exist decades and decades ago,” Van Hollen mentioned. “Instead of trying to find peace, or at least preventing the conditions on the ground from changing with additional settlements to allow a two-state solution, he has shut the door on that effort.”