Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said Sunday that he believes Israel’s current government is no longer acting in a manner consistent with American national security interests, pointing to its conduct in Gaza and its rhetoric during the conflict with Iran as reasons for his growing opposition.

Speaking during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Murphy reaffirmed his support for the U.S.-Israel relationship while drawing a distinction between Israel as an ally and the policies of its current leadership.

“I want there to be a strong U.S.-Israel relationship. I support Israel. I cannot support this government’s actions. They are not aligned with U.S. national security objectives,” Murphy said during a Sunday appearance on NBC News’s “Meet the Press.”

Murphy said his concerns have made it increasingly difficult for him to back continued U.S. arms transfers to Israel under the present government. He added that he favors a two-state solution and believes a change in Israeli leadership and policy would be necessary before lawmakers with similar views could support ongoing military assistance.

“And so I think that until we have a different government and a different policy in Israel, it’s going to be hard for people like me that want a Palestinian state, side by side with a Jewish state in the region, to support continuing to send arms to Israel,” he added.

Murphy’s remarks came shortly after Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu stated during Sunday’s Cabinet meeting that, as long as he remains in office, no Palestinian state will be established “neither in Gaza nor in Judea and Samaria.”

The senator’s comments also follow a recent House vote on an amendment that sought to end unconditional U.S. aid to Israel. The proposal was defeated by a vote of 314-104, with 103 Democrats supporting the measure and 98 Democrats voting against it, highlighting divisions within the party over U.S. policy toward Israel.

Addressing those internal disagreements, Murphy argued that differing views within the Democratic Party reflect healthy debate rather than weakness.

“We have disagreements inside the Democratic Party,” Murphy said regarding Democrats’ message on Israel.

“And that’s the sign of a healthy party. What’s the alternative? Well, the alternative is the Republican Party, in which they are not allowed to have disagreements. The only thing they can think is what Donald Trump thinks. That’s not a healthy party. I want to be a part of a party that occasionally actually has disagreements inside it,” he added.

{Matzav.com}