Dangerous Friendship of Joe and Bibi

Unconditional American support for Israel is part of the DNA of Washington diplomacy. But Biden is concerned about the Israeli army’s massive bombing of the Gaza Strip following the October 7 Hamas attacks. The latter draws a parallel between Israel and Ukraine, which were attacked by Russia and Hamas. Others see the United States and Biden condemning Russia’s bombing of civilians in Ukraine rather than Israel’s bombing of the Gaza Strip. Today, the number of civilian deaths in the Gaza Strip exceeds the number of civilian deaths in Ukraine.

Thus, it undermines the credibility of American diplomacy, especially regarding its main issue: support for Ukraine against Russia. Vladimir Putin can continue to strengthen his position and, above all, look to the past, relying on a sense of double standards: “You condemn some, but support others.” He highlights the contradictions of American politics to hide his own. Therefore, the United States is a friend of Israel, but it does not receive much support. Various American requests to mitigate behavior and spare civilians are not being met. Israel follows its own logic.

Not since 1991 and George H.W. Bush has any American president put real pressure on Israel. Even Barack Obama quickly abandoned it. American commentator Thomas Friedman in 2010, when Joe Biden, who was then vice president, visited Israel and Benjamin Netanyahu announced the construction of new settlements, called on the vice president to turn 180 degrees in protest against this decision, which put American diplomacy against the wall. He wrote: “A friend must tell the truth. If you see a friend who wants to drive while drunk, you take away his car keys and don’t let him go home. Netanyahu is drunk, he drives drunk from a geopolitical standpoint, so we must take away his keys and stop him from doing what he wants.”

Thomas Friedman, a Jew, is part of a large part of the American Jewish community that distances itself from the Israeli government because it believes Netanyahu’s policies are dangerous for Israel and the United States.

Domestically, Joe Biden also finds himself in a difficult position, as more and more young Democrats, moved by the plight of Gazan civilians, protest against this unconditional support. Young Democratic elected officials, as well as staffers working for representatives, are protesting America’s actions toward Israel. In universities, protest movements are a radical new phenomenon and can change the situation.

Some are now wondering whether this will weaken Biden on the left and whether this unlimited support will ultimately lead to his election loss. The left wing of the party may indeed refuse to vote for Biden. This would be ironic, since it would open the way for Donald Trump – or another Republican candidate – to give Netanyahu freedom of action.

It is therefore clear that today Netanyahu’s position and the policies he is pursuing in the Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip put the United States and Joe Biden in a difficult position both diplomatically and domestically.