Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer caused a stir Sunday when he falsely claimed that he refused to shake Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hand during his address to Congress last week due to “serious disagreements” over policy, told The Hill.
Despite Schumer’s public stance, a photograph and video footage released by Netanyahu’s office show Schumer shaking Netanyahu’s hand in a private meeting before the speech. However, during the public address, Schumer notably refused to repeat the gesture.
Viewers of Netanyahu’s address noticed Schumer’s pointed refusal to shake Netanyahu’s hand as the Prime Minister walked down the aisle of the House chamber toward the podium. Schumer attempted to clarify his behavior during an interview with Robert Costa on CBS News’s Face the Nation on Sunday:
ROBERT COSTA: Sticking with the Middle East, Senator, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was just in Washington. You were part of the formal bipartisan invitation to have him come to Washington. Yet, there was video of you not shaking his hand when he was on the floor on Capitol Hill. Why not? Why did you not shake his hand?
SENATOR CHUCK SCHUMER: Well, look, you know, I went to this speech because the relationship between Israel and America is ironclad, and I wanted to show that. But, at the same time, as everyone knows, I have serious disagreements with the way Benjamin Netanyahu has conducted these policies.
Refusing to shake the hand of a visiting foreign leader, especially one who is democratically elected, is a serious breach of protocol. The business of Congress often involves handling “serious disagreements” over policy, which typically does not prevent party leaders from shaking hands.
However, the video footage provided by Israel’s Government Press Office, credited to Roi Avraham and Ben Peretz, clearly shows Schumer shaking Netanyahu’s hand in private. This discrepancy suggests that Schumer was trying to send a public signal to anti-Israel voters within the Democratic Party while adopting a different posture behind closed doors.
In March, Schumer delivered a speech from the Senate floor calling for Netanyahu to be ousted through new elections, a move that drew a rare rebuke from American Jewish leaders. Schumer’s refusal to shake Netanyahu’s hand publicly places him alongside athletes from some Arab and Muslim countries at the Olympics in Paris, who have refused to shake the hands of Israeli competitors.
This incident underscores the complex and often contradictory nature of political gestures. While Schumer’s private handshake indicates a level of diplomatic courtesy, his public refusal highlights the tensions and differing opinions within his party regarding Israel’s policies under Netanyahu’s leadership. The public snub has sparked controversy and raised questions about the true nature of Schumer’s stance on US-Israel relations.