"No international pressure will stop us from realizing all of the goals of the war: eliminating Hamas, freeing all of our hostages and ensuring that Gaza never again constitutes a threat to Israel," said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday. The fact that this is seen as a threat to President Biden illustrates how the United States' position toward Israel has changed significantly.
The joke in Jerusalem is that, while Mr. Biden tried to support Israel after October 7, he is now focusing on Michigan and Nevada's "two-state solution." Israelis see that the President no longer often discusses eliminating Hamas. Rather, he attacks Israel while discrediting its prime minister.
By doing this dance, Mr. Biden hopes to appease the anti-Israel left without upsetting the majority of American voters, who would consider it unethical to support the Israeli people at a time of war. Israelis are now saying about America what Henry Kissinger previously stated about Israel having no foreign strategy and just internal politics. And how else to account for Mr. Biden's "red line" on Rafah, the last bastion of Hamas?
"You cannot say you support Israel's goal of destroying Hamas and then oppose Israel when it takes the necessary actions to achieve that goal," asserts Mr. Netanyahu. Losing the battle and the peace is what happens when Fatah takes over from Hamas in Rafah. It is not "Bibi," but rather an Israeli consensus.
While Biden officials disagree, Israeli officials assert that the US military is aware that Rafah must fall. "Our position is that Hamas should not be allowed a safe haven in Rafah or anywhere else, but a major ground operation there would be a mistake," said White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan on Monday. However, if Hamas battalions continue to exist, then none of their political options for Gaza will be successful. If Hamas is able to shoot its competitors in the head, politics will not exist.
Mr. Biden used the Hamas statistic of over 30,000 deaths in Gaza to criticize Israel. How come he does not bring up the fact that Israel claims that over 13,000 of them were Hamas fighters? That is not what the people in Dearborn, Michigan want to hear, but the combatant-to-civilian death ratio of around 1 to 1.3 as a consequence attests to Israeli precision and prudence.
The disclosure on Monday of a U.S. intelligence report that predicted "large protests" against Mr. Netanyahu and questioned the political sustainability of his wartime leadership was very unprecedented. That was previously the way the United States handled ally democracies, not enemy dictatorships.
Sen. Chuck Schumer's remarkable statement from last week, according to which Israelis need to remove Mr. Netanyahu from office, has also received Mr. Biden's endorsement. More Democrats are joining the fray.
Delays in U.S. arms deliveries, disclosed threats to halt arms sales, and the Biden Administration's attempts to dissuade other nations from selling weapons to Jerusalem are much more grave. While the shortage of ammunition is a serious issue, Israel has already felt the pinch of existential anxiety and does not need the cowardly Biden Administration to give the go-ahead for Rafah. Israel is now manufacturing a greater amount of its own weapons, and the perception is that it would fight to the death if necessary.
Mr. Netanyahu does not see the United States as an inaccessible black box that produces a presidential policy that is definitive. He is aware of the ability to sway public opinion in the United States to limit the President's authority. Mr. Biden is mistaken if he believes he is the only one with influence in this situation, ahead of a US election.
The underlying source of this dispute is the growing awareness in Israel that the United States may not be dependable. The Yediot Ahronot newspaper's commentary on Thursday states, "Even if the radical wing does not take over, it is already a permanent force that no Democratic Party leader can ignore."
Israel is more optimistic about a Trump administration, but cautious. For the time being, Republicans who support Israel would still desert Ukraine. Is it going to be true forever?
The United States does not seem to be eager to assist Israel in winning or Ukraine in avoiding loss right now. The world is watching, and the Middle East's success lies not so much in Israel's ability to reach a settlement with the Palestinians but more in its ability to lead the United States of America to triumph over terrorism that is supported by Iran.
The joke in Jerusalem is that, while Mr. Biden tried to support Israel after October 7, he is now focusing on Michigan and Nevada's "two-state solution." Israelis see that the President no longer often discusses eliminating Hamas. Rather, he attacks Israel while discrediting its prime minister.
By doing this dance, Mr. Biden hopes to appease the anti-Israel left without upsetting the majority of American voters, who would consider it unethical to support the Israeli people at a time of war. Israelis are now saying about America what Henry Kissinger previously stated about Israel having no foreign strategy and just internal politics. And how else to account for Mr. Biden's "red line" on Rafah, the last bastion of Hamas?
"You cannot say you support Israel's goal of destroying Hamas and then oppose Israel when it takes the necessary actions to achieve that goal," asserts Mr. Netanyahu. Losing the battle and the peace is what happens when Fatah takes over from Hamas in Rafah. It is not "Bibi," but rather an Israeli consensus.
While Biden officials disagree, Israeli officials assert that the US military is aware that Rafah must fall. "Our position is that Hamas should not be allowed a safe haven in Rafah or anywhere else, but a major ground operation there would be a mistake," said White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan on Monday. However, if Hamas battalions continue to exist, then none of their political options for Gaza will be successful. If Hamas is able to shoot its competitors in the head, politics will not exist.
Mr. Biden used the Hamas statistic of over 30,000 deaths in Gaza to criticize Israel. How come he does not bring up the fact that Israel claims that over 13,000 of them were Hamas fighters? That is not what the people in Dearborn, Michigan want to hear, but the combatant-to-civilian death ratio of around 1 to 1.3 as a consequence attests to Israeli precision and prudence.
The disclosure on Monday of a U.S. intelligence report that predicted "large protests" against Mr. Netanyahu and questioned the political sustainability of his wartime leadership was very unprecedented. That was previously the way the United States handled ally democracies, not enemy dictatorships.
Sen. Chuck Schumer's remarkable statement from last week, according to which Israelis need to remove Mr. Netanyahu from office, has also received Mr. Biden's endorsement. More Democrats are joining the fray.
Delays in U.S. arms deliveries, disclosed threats to halt arms sales, and the Biden Administration's attempts to dissuade other nations from selling weapons to Jerusalem are much more grave. While the shortage of ammunition is a serious issue, Israel has already felt the pinch of existential anxiety and does not need the cowardly Biden Administration to give the go-ahead for Rafah. Israel is now manufacturing a greater amount of its own weapons, and the perception is that it would fight to the death if necessary.
Mr. Netanyahu does not see the United States as an inaccessible black box that produces a presidential policy that is definitive. He is aware of the ability to sway public opinion in the United States to limit the President's authority. Mr. Biden is mistaken if he believes he is the only one with influence in this situation, ahead of a US election.
The underlying source of this dispute is the growing awareness in Israel that the United States may not be dependable. The Yediot Ahronot newspaper's commentary on Thursday states, "Even if the radical wing does not take over, it is already a permanent force that no Democratic Party leader can ignore."
Israel is more optimistic about a Trump administration, but cautious. For the time being, Republicans who support Israel would still desert Ukraine. Is it going to be true forever?
The United States does not seem to be eager to assist Israel in winning or Ukraine in avoiding loss right now. The world is watching, and the Middle East's success lies not so much in Israel's ability to reach a settlement with the Palestinians but more in its ability to lead the United States of America to triumph over terrorism that is supported by Iran.
