Democratic Rep. Brad Schneider, a Jewish lawmaker, recently had a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the return of American hostages. Schneider mentioned that during a photo opportunity, he urged Netanyahu to bring the hostages home, to which Netanyahu responded optimistically by stating, 'we are getting closer.'
While Schneider chose not to comment on Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib's sign labeling Netanyahu as a 'war criminal' and 'guilty of genocide,' he did express his satisfaction with the overall tone of Netanyahu's speech. Schneider admitted to entering the speech with concerns but was pleasantly surprised by the lack of partisanship in Netanyahu's address.
Although Schneider did not agree with all of Netanyahu's points, he appreciated that Netanyahu refrained from making the speech overly partisan. Schneider did express a desire for Netanyahu to acknowledge the security supplemental passed by Congress that included funding for Israel, as well as a more inclusive view of Israel as not solely belonging to the Jewish people.
Regarding Netanyahu's assertion that Israel is exclusively the home of the Jewish people, Schneider disagreed, emphasizing that while Israel has historical ties to the Jewish people, it does not negate the Palestinians' connection to the land. Schneider emphasized the importance of judging Netanyahu based on both his actions and words moving forward.
