Relations between President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appear to have reached a brand new low, with each men under intense pressure from domestic politics and the upcoming elections.
Mr. Biden has faced outrage from supporters and allies around the globe over the civilian death toll within the war against Hamas and Israel’s apparent reluctance to permit adequate amounts of food and medicine into Gaza. On Monday, Biden selected to adopt a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding a direct ceasefire within the Gaza Strip by abstaining from voting, somewhat than vetoing the measure because the United States has done up to now.
In response, Mr. Netanyahu, who’s attempting to keep his own far-right coalition government in power, canceled a planned high-level delegation to Washington for meetings with US officials to debate alternatives to a planned Israeli offensive in Rafah, the southern Gaza city where greater than 1,000,000 people sought refuge.
Netanyahu, nonetheless, allowed his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to stay in Washington for talks.
Netanyahu also faces sharp criticism from his far-right coalition partners, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, over any sign of hesitation to go to war with Hamas or expand Israeli settlements within the occupied West Bank. They are also deeply divided over proposed laws that might lead to more ultra-Orthodox Israelis, often called haredim, being drafted into the military.
Nadav Shtrauchler, a political strategist who previously worked with Netanyahu, said the prime minister sought to embody a central narrative: “We have to be strong, even against the United States, and I am the man who has the backbone to do that. “
Netanyahu and his far-right partners have become increasingly belligerent in their criticism of the Biden administration. In a recent interview, Ben-Gvir, the national security minister, accused Biden of tacitly supporting Israel’s enemies.
“Currently, Biden prefers the line of Rashida Tlaib and Sinwar to that of Benjamin Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir,” Mr. Ben-Gvir said, referring to progressive Palestinian-American member of the US Congress and leader of Hamas in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar. “I’d expect that the president of the United States wouldn’t adopt their position, but somewhat our position,” he added.
By trying to put pressure on Israel, President Biden was “gravely mistaken,” Ben-Gvir said, adding that Biden “continually sought to impose restrictions on Israel and talked in regards to the rights of the opposite side, which, as I recall, includes many terrorists who want us destroy.”
If Ben-Gvir and Smotrich leave the government, it will force early elections in Israel. That’s what Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, called for in a recent speech in which he said Netanyahu was an obstacle to peace. Biden called it a “good speech” while not endorsing the call for new elections.
Mr. Biden’s actions in connection with the Security Council resolution appear to be more political than substantive, and his officials insist that American policy has not changed. A U.N. abstention does not change U.S. support for Israel or reduce U.S. arms shipments to Israel. This does not amount to a US veto over Israel’s military campaign against Hamas in Rafah, although it highlights US and allied concerns that Israel will be the first to present a detailed plan to spare civilians hiding there.
The United States also continues to work with Israel and Arab allies to try to negotiate a temporary ceasefire in Gaza in exchange for Hamas’ release of Israeli hostages, which is Israel’s goal.
Washington hopes to turn the temporary truce into a long-term cessation of hostilities, enabling serious talks on how to govern and rebuild Gaza while protecting Israel’s security. However, this is a battle that still needs to be fought, especially as talks on a temporary ceasefire drag on.
Netanyahu has in the past used his arguments with American presidents – including Barack Obama and Bill Clinton – to strengthen his political position at home, trying to show that he is Israel’s best defense against outside pressure to make concessions in relations with the Palestinians, or even in the case of a now faded agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
But Mr. Biden is much more popular in Israel than Mr. Obama, and a major break with Washington would profoundly undermine Israel’s security and its future.
Aaron Boxerman reporting contributed.
