Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer during a virtual appearance to Senate Republicans, telling them during the closed-doors session that the New York Democrat's speech on the Senate floor calling for an election branding him as an obstacle to peace was "wholly inappropriate and outrageous."
"He was not happy," Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., told The New York Times about the Wednesday session. "He made that very clear."
Last week, Schumer drew fire when he called for a new election to replace Netanyahu, and this week, he refused to allow the prime minister to make a similar virtual address to Senate Democrats as he made to the Republicans.
"Sen. Schumer made it clear that he does not think these discussions should happen in a partisan manner," Alex Nguyen, a spokesman for the lawmaker said. "That's not helpful to Israel."
President Joe Biden said that Schumer had given a "good speech" when he spoke out against Netanyahu, and Democrats also applauded him for his comments, made as the outcry is growing about Israel's attacks in Gaza after the Hamas raid last October.
Schumer also defended his speech Wednesday, saying he gave it out of a "real love for Israel."
"We called only for there to be an election after the hostilities have declined [and] after Hamas was defeated," said Schumer.
Republicans and conservative Jewish groups were angered and they were quick to object to Schumer's speech.
"Schumer doesn't have to like or dislike Benjamin Netanyahu on a personal level," Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said. "Chuck Schumer had the arrogance and audacity to seek to instruct another nation as if it were a vassal state, a banana republic."
Netanyahu, meanwhile, told Senate Republicans that his policies on the war reflect what his country wants, and that Schumer's remarks would not change how he plans to proceed, said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La.
"He made it very clear that he intends to prosecute the war against Hamas to the full extent of his power, and he said the American people are behind him," Kennedy said. "He said that even if we have to go alone, we will not stop."
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., commented that he told Netanyahu that Schumer crossed the line by "giving a democratic ally advice about when to have an election or what kind of military campaign they should be conducting."
McConnell also commented that it seems to him that bipartisan support for Israel "seems to be cracking."
The prime minister also during the talk with Republicans asked them to continue supporting Israel and to allow it to finish defeating Hamas, senators in the meeting said.
"He emphasized several times that Israel is not asking for American ground troops, not asking America to fight its war," Hawley commented, adding that Netanyahu asked for financial help to "finish the job" and urged senators to support any House legislation including aid for his country.
Netanyahu also talked "at some length" after Republicans asked him about war casualties, and assured them that his country is making all efforts to avoid killing civilians.
The prime minister estimated the deaths at about 28,000, or about 2,000 fewer than the Gaza Health Ministry has reported.