The intensification of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has put Joe Biden’s administration in a very difficult position
It’s not so much that it makes it difficult for the initiative to return to a “nuclear deal” with Iran, but that this incident reveals a major change that has taken place in the US Democratic Party itself.
Initially, the new White House administration ignored the escalating Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Former US President Donald Trump even managed to criticise the White House for not clearly supporting Israel.
When it became clear that the stand-off was dragging on, Biden did call Netanyahu, and on Monday 18 May Biden made his third call in the last six days.
A White House statement said that during the call, Biden reaffirmed Israel’s right to self-defence, but “urged Israel to make every effort to ensure the protection of innocent civilians.” He also “expressed his support for a ceasefire and discussed US engagement with Egypt and other partners to achieve this goal.”
This was the first time the White House had formally mentioned the ceasefire in talks with Israel. The fact is that Biden has long resisted calls by fellow Democrats to publicly increase pressure on Israel amid rising violence.
The vision of American policy in the Middle East is undergoing a change as a result of the growing influence of the “progressive wing” in the Democratic Party. Some congressmen openly support the Palestinians and condemn Israel’s actions, while the White House press secretary refuses to criticise them for this position.
Even the Senate Majority Leader, Democrat Chuck Schumer, who has strong pro-Israeli credentials and supports Israel’s right to self-defence, has issued a strong call for a ceasefire: “I want a ceasefire to happen quickly. and the loss of life must be mourned”. CNN links this statement to the fact that there is pressure directly on Chuck Schumer himself from the “progressive wing” of the Democrat party and, not least, from his colleague Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, who has called Israel an “apartheid” state.
CNN also notes that the “progressive wing” is clearly threatening to weaken Israel’s position in Congress. Several prominent Democrats are calling on the administration to impose additional conditions on $735 million in high-precision weapons shipments to Israel.
On the foreign policy field, the US is sticking to its previous strategy. For the third time in the past week it has blocked the UN Security Council from adopting a statement calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The shaky position on the issue has been noted by Republicans. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said “President Biden must remain strong against growing voices within his own party that create a false equivalence between terrorist aggressors and a responsible state defending itself”.
US Vice-President Kamala Harris has refrained from making statements on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, but her niece Mina Harris said: “You can’t advocate racial equality, LGBT and women’s rights, condemn corrupt and violent regimes and other injustices, but ignore the oppression of Palestinians.”
On October 18, US President Joe Biden, speaking at the Ford Plant, Michigan, personally addressed Congresswoman Rashid Tlaib, of Palestinian descent, and paid heartfelt tribute to her passionate struggle, and promised to pray for her relatives in the West Bank.
It is widely known that Rashid Tlaib openly advocates the denial of any US support to Israel and accuses that country of war crimes against the Palestinians. So this statement by Joe Biden indicates a serious reversal of US policy towards Israel.
And experts have already noted this. In particular, the Russian Demiurge telegram channel wrote as early as May 10: “We disagree with our colleagues a little – under Trump it was possible to speak unequivocally about the US administration’s pro-Israeli position. Today, the Biden administration is in power in the US, and there are a lot of questions, starting with the Iran deal which is almost ready to be renegotiated. What is happening in Jerusalem these days must therefore be seen as a provocation by part of the Israeli leadership to force the US to support Israel.”
Netanyahu’s risky provocation could therefore cost not only the prime minister himself, but also Israel dearly.
RUSSTRAT