President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have never had a close relationship. However, it was generally assumed that their personal differences would not overshadow the longstanding alliance between the United States and Israel.
Gone are the days when this was the case.
Related posts
After his return to government, Mr. Netanyahu, who holds the record for being the longest-serving head of government in Israel’s 75 years of statehood, found himself being given the cold shoulder by Mr. Biden. The American president was cautious of his Israeli counterpart due to Mr. Netanyahu and the Likud Party’s attempts to reshape Israel’s judiciary into a more politically aligned and less influential institution, resembling the likes of Viktor Orban’s Hungary or the Polish judiciary under the Law and Justice Party. Furthermore, Mr. Netanyahu’s extensive history of antagonizing and undermining US leaders affiliated with the Democratic Party was widely known.
Then, on 7 October, the terror attacks occurred. The assault by Hamas was incredibly brutal, and it posed an existential threat to Israel. Despite having some doubts about the Israeli leader’s intentions, Biden’s team recognized the gravity of the situation and their healthy skepticism took a backseat. As a result, the relationship between the two leaders began to strengthen.
According to Biden confidantes, the president’s strong support for Israel’s right to self-defense outweighed the suggestions of prominent Democrats to adopt a more realpolitik approach towards the US-Israel relationship. This approach would have involved President Biden taking a tougher stance on Gaza. Some members of Biden’s own party had hoped that he would use military aid as a means to influence the operations of the Israel Defense Forces in the region.
Many American voters support Israel’s right to self-defense and are also concerned about the well-being of Palestinian civilians. However, deviating from long-standing US policy to reflect these preferences would have been a significant change.
In making his decision, Mr. Biden weighed the potential consequences and benefits of his actions. He believed that it was important to stand firmly behind Israel and support their war efforts, even if it wasn’t the most popular or politically expedient choice. He recognized that taking a principled stance could have long-term benefits, even if it meant facing criticism in the short term.
However, it was Mr. Netanyahu who made it impossible for him.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently facing corruption charges that could result in his imprisonment or removal from office, has aligned himself with the hardline stance advocated by right-wing extremists. These extremists, including certain cabinet ministers, advocate for the expulsion of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank to make way for Israeli Jewish resettlement.
Mr. Netanyahu consistently defied Mr. Biden at every opportunity, disregarding the potential political consequences for the US leader who had extended his support. However, by ignoring the president’s advice to avoid involvement in Rafah, he has left Mr. Biden with no choice but to take action.
During a televised interview on Wednesday night, Mr. Biden made it clear that the United States will not supply Israel with weapons that could be used to cause a large-scale loss of life in Rafah. In the interview conducted by CNN anchor Erin Burnett, Mr. Biden admitted to temporarily halting the shipment of bombs and emphasized his willingness to assist Israel in defending itself, but not at the cost of civilian casualties.
According to him, innocent people in Gaza have lost their lives due to the use of bombs and other methods that target populated areas. He strongly believes that causing a humanitarian crisis in the region is morally unacceptable.
“We are not abandoning Israel’s security. Instead, we are relinquishing Israel’s capacity to engage in warfare in those regions,” he emphasized.
The country’s conditioning aid receives a major shift in strategy. However, both parties are downplaying the significance of this development.
In a recent social media video, Prime Minister Netanyahu responded to Mr. Biden’s interview by asserting that no amount of pressure will deter Israel from defending itself. He made it clear that even if Israel is left to stand alone, it will continue to do so.
According to John Kirby, the national security communications adviser for President Biden, there will not be any significant shift in US policy despite the president’s recent statement. Kirby also reassured that the US remains committed to utilizing every allocated dollar from Congress for Israel’s defense.
However, the harm has already been done. Mr. Netanyahu’s actions, which involved disregarding Mr. Biden’s advice and then forcing him to publicly declare that the US will not support a full-scale invasion of Rafah, have inadvertently allowed President Biden to shift the Overton Window.
Now, he has ensured that he or his successors must adhere to the same regulations as everyone else when utilizing American weapons.
