In a dramatic illustration of the constant state of alert on which those in Israel must remain amid the current hostilities with Hamas, Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) revealed this weekend that he and other lawmakers had to shelter in place while on an official visit to Tel Aviv, as Fox News reports.
Schumer, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), and other members of their delegation took cover after Hamas fired rockets into the area where they had planned to take a meeting with key Israeli officials.
Sheltering in place
The New York Democrat took to X (formerly Twitter) to post a photo of himself and others from his group crowded into a shelter amid the threat of rocket fire.
Schumer captioned the image by saying, “While in Tel Aviv today, our delegation was rushed to a shelter to wait out rockets sent by Hamas.”
“It shows you what Israelis have to go through. We must provide Israel with the support required to defend itself,” Schumer added.
Productive visit
As the first Jewish legislator to serve as Senate majority leader, Schumer led a cadre of colleagues from both sides of the aisle on the visit to Israel, a group that included not just Romney, but also Republican Bill Cassidy and Democrats Mark Kelly of Arizona and Jacky Rosen of Nevada.
The delegation met with a number of high-ranking Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, and Benny Gantz – an opposition leader who agreed to join a temporary wartime government.
According to Schumer, “good, productive meetings” were held, which included talks about the type and volume of support Israel might need as it moves forward with its campaign to eliminate Hamas.
Resolute in his commitment to assist the Jewish state, Schumer declared, “I'll lead the effort in the U.S. Senate to provide Israel with the support required to defend itself from this monstrous attack.”
Not the first time
Schumer, Romney, and the rest of the delegation were not alone in having to shelter in place amid the threat of rocket fire in Israel over the course of recent days, with Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) also having a similar tale to tell.
As The Hill reported last week, Booker and multiple staffers happened to be in Israel at the time of the initial Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on civilian and military targets, and they were also forced to shelter in place in Jerusalem.
On the day after the terrorist onslaught, Booker wrote on X, “My team and I are now safe, but like many we are shaken, angered, and heartbroken by the hundreds killed, the thousands injured, those taken hostage, and all who are directly affected by these sickening terrorist attacks.”
