Senate Republicans charge Schumer’s been ‘silenced’ on Israel due to AOC primary threat

The Senate GOP reelection arm is taking aim at Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer over his relative silence the past couple of days regarding the fierce fighting between Israel and Hamas.

Schumer, who is Jewish and typically one of the most ardent defenders of Israel on Capitol Hill, has been fairly quiet the past two days as the attacks between Israel and Hamas forces based in the Gaza Strip have continued to rage. When asked about the Middle East flare-up at news conference Tuesday afternoon, Schumer gave a boiler plate statement before deferring to fellow Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. While there is uniform support for Israel’s ability to defend itself from attacks by Hamas among congressional Republicans, a growing number of progressive Democrats in Congress are questioning Washington’s support of conservative Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.