"Israel is not a banana republic but a proud and independent democracy which has elected Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister."
This can be read in an official statement from Likud, the prime minister's party, issued in response to the attack by the leader of the Democratic majority in the US Senate Chuck Schumer.
"We expect Senator Schumer to respect the elected government of Israel and not undermine it at its base. This is always true, even more so in times of war", adds the Likud note.
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