Chuck Schumer Must Stop Betraying the Jews

Chuck Schumer is supposed to be a protector of Israel. As the highest-ranking Jewish member of Congress and the leader of the Senate Democrats, he should be standing tall in defense of the Jewish state—especially as antisemitism surges in the U.S. and abroad.

Instead, Schumer has repeatedly shown his unwillingness to confront the growing tide of Jew-hatred within his own party, leaving Jewish Americans—and particularly Jewish students—vulnerable.

As Alan Dershowitz, a prominent civil liberties lawyer and staunch Israel advocate, put it: “Schumer should have done more to protect Jewish students from physical harassment, blocked access, intimidation, and violence. Instead, he chose to undemocratically call for the removal of Israel’s elected prime minister.”

Schumer’s inaction has been especially glaring on college campuses, where anti-Israel protests have become a breeding ground for open antisemitism. Demonstrations fueled by hateful rhetoric frequently target Jewish students, subjecting them to harassment and intimidation. Yet Schumer has remained largely silent, unwilling to call out the hate emanating from his own side.

During the protests at Columbia University, for example, students chanted inflammatory slogans calling for Israel’s destruction. Jewish students were doxxed, harassed, and physically blocked from campus areas. Schumer, despite representing the state of New York, failed to issue a forceful condemnation or stand in solidarity with the victims. His silence sent a dangerous message—that defending Jewish students is less important than protecting his party’s radicals.

But Schumer’s failure to act goes beyond campus protests. His broader refusal to confront antisemitism within the Democratic Party reveals a disturbing pattern of political cowardice.

The rise of figures like Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who have made openly antisemitic remarks, should have prompted strong pushback from Schumer. Yet, he has consistently refused to denounce them. When Omar infamously claimed that U.S. support for Israel was “all about the Benjamins,” Schumer offered no public rebuke. His silence has empowered the party’s growing anti-Israel faction, signaling that antisemitism is tolerable if it comes from the left.

Schumer’s most glaring failure came when he refused to bring the Antisemitism Awareness Act to the Senate floor. The bill, which would have defined antisemitism under federal law and equipped schools with tools to combat it, was essential in protecting Jewish students. With antisemitic incidents on the rise, it should have been a top priority.

Yet, fearing backlash from progressive colleagues, Schumer blocked the bill from advancing. His refusal to act left Jewish students exposed and showed that his loyalty lies with party unity, not his own community’s safety.

This cowardice reflects a deeper trend within the Democratic Party. Once a reliable supporter of Israel, the party is now increasingly influenced by anti-Israel activists and lawmakers. Support for Israel is rapidly eroding, particularly among younger Democrats, who view the Jewish state with growing hostility.

Schumer, rather than defending the pro-Israel principles that once defined his party, has chosen to appease its anti-Israel wing. His reluctance to challenge them has made him complicit in the party’s shift against Israel—a shift that endangers the U.S.-Israel alliance.

As Dershowitz said, “Many Jewish voters feel the Democratic Party has abandoned them, and I agree—I no longer feel at home in my former party.”

His words highlight a growing reality: Jewish voters, once a core Democratic constituency, are becoming disillusioned. Schumer’s failure to stand with them only accelerates that trend.

The consequences of Schumer’s inaction extend beyond the Jewish community. The U.S.-Israel alliance, a cornerstone of American foreign policy, is being eroded by the very party Schumer leads. Israel has long been America’s strongest ally in the Middle East, providing crucial intelligence, counterterrorism cooperation, and technological innovation. Yet, Schumer’s refusal to fight for the alliance signals weakness to Israel’s enemies and undermines America’s reliability as an ally.

Schumer’s behavior is a disservice to both the Jewish people and the values America has long upheld. His silence in the face of antisemitism, his failure to protect Jewish students, and his prioritization of political expediency over moral clarity make him unfit to lead on this issue.

It’s time for Schumer to decide where his loyalty truly lies. Is it with the Jewish people and the state of Israel, or with a party that increasingly treats both as disposable?

If Schumer continues down this path of cowardice and inaction, he will not only betray his own community but also contribute to the weakening of America’s moral and strategic commitment to its most reliable ally.