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Edited by: TJVNews.com
In recent months, the longstanding relationship between President Joe Biden of the United States and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced its most severe test yet amidst escalating tensions over the Gaza war. As was reported by the Associated Press, the divergence in their views on the conflict and the pressures of their respective political landscapes are pushing the alliance to a tipping point.
Amidst the most recent Gaza crisis, the relationship appears increasingly strained. The White House’s decision to suspend a significant arms shipment, including 3,500 bombs to Israel, highlights a critical juncture. While White House National Security Spokesman John Kirby did not confirm if Netanyahu was directly informed of this decision during their recent communication, he emphasized that Biden has been “direct and forthright” about his concerns.
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This decision comes against a backdrop of pro-Palestinian protests that have stirred significant factions within the Democratic Party, especially among the younger, more progressive members. These protests have not only influenced public sentiment but have also sparked discussions within Biden’s circle about the future of the Democratic Party’s stance on Israel.
Netanyahu’s response to the U.S. stance has been one of defiance. Brushing aside Biden’s cautions, he has emphasized Israel’s resolve to act independently if necessary. His statement, “If we have to stand alone, we will stand alone,” coupled with a fierce declaration of readiness to “fight with our fingernails,” calls attention to a deepening resolve against external pressures, highlighting a shift from reliance on diplomatic assurances to a rhetoric of self-reliance.
Historically, Biden has prided himself on his ability to manage international relations more with incentives than penalties. This approach, however, appears increasingly ineffective with Netanyahu. The friction has escalated over the past seven months, indicating that Biden’s diplomatic playbook may be outdated in the face of current challenges.
The president’s strategy has evolved in response to the shifting dynamics. His recent comments in a CNN interview reveal a firmer stance, threatening to suspend further military aid if Israeli forces proceed with operations in Rafah. This marks a significant shift from diplomacy to a more assertive pushback, reflecting Biden’s urgency to influence Israeli military strategy.
Despite this toughened stance, Biden’s aides stress that he is not willing to let the U.S.-Israel relationship fully deteriorate. The political necessity of maintaining this alliance is backed by a significant portion of the American populace that supports or even wishes to enhance U.S. backing of Israel.
Both leaders are also grappling with their domestic political challenges, which compound the international crisis. Netanyahu faces increasing scrutiny and pressure within his own government and from the Israeli public, pushing him to adopt a more hardline position. Conversely, Biden must navigate the complex landscape of U.S. politics where Palestinian voters, especially in Michigan have been critical of him for advocating for the $14 billion aid package to Israel.
The current situation between Biden and Netanyahu is a critical juncture in U.S.-Israel relations, shaped by a confluence of international conflict and political necessity. How these leaders navigate this crisis will not only affect their political legacies but also the future trajectory of Middle Eastern politics and the stability of global diplomatic relations. The unfolding events will require careful monitoring as each leader balances on a tightrope of domestic responsibilities and international exigencies.
Biden and Netanyahu are figures who have been central to their countries’ politics for decades, with a relationship that dates back to when Biden was a young senator and Netanyahu a senior official at Israel’s embassy in Washington. This long acquaintance has seen various tensions, notably during the Obama administration, when Biden as Vice President dealt with disagreements over Israeli settlement expansion. More recently, Netanyahu’s vehement opposition to Biden’s efforts to revive the Iran nuclear deal—which had been a hallmark of Obama’s foreign policy and was abandoned by Donald Trump—added layers to their complex relationship.
In the aftermath of the horrific October 7 attack by Hamas, which resulted in the death of 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of around 250, public sentiment in Israel has dramatically shifted. Initially, Netanyahu vowed to destroy Hamas, responding with a stern military stance.
Netanyahu’s strategy appears to be influenced by the need to maintain the support of his coalition partners to avert potential political fallout, including the possibility of early elections. The AP reported that according to Anshel Pfeffer, a noted columnist and author of a Netanyahu biography, maintaining the illusion of ‘total victory’ over Hamas is crucial for Netanyahu to keep his political allies from turning against him and to prevent a further erosion of his public image.
Also speaking to the AP was Aviv Bushinsky, a former spokesman and chief of staff for Netanyahu, who suggested that despite the multifaceted pressures, Netanyahu remains focused on the broader goal of defeating Hamas, driven by concerns over the long-term security of Israel. This focus, however, must contend with the immediate humanitarian and political realities that a continued military offensive in Rafah might exacerbate.
Many have noticed a marked change in US-Israel relations that started with the Obama administration and took a hiatus during the Trump era. Others feel that Israel is being roundly demonized now as the beginnings of a potential socialist revolution have permeated a large sector of the Western world. As one observer put it, “The Jew (and that means Israel) is now the bogeyman of the world. He represents the “establishment” and he is pigeon holed as the “colonialist,” the “oppressor”, the “occupier”, and the “exploiter” of the masses. And let’s not forget that to the new alliance of the Marxists and the radical Islamists, their mantra continues to be that the Jews are in possession of all of the world’s wealth and that they have masterminded some kind of sinister cabal.”
On that note, it was recently revealed by Fox News television talk show host, Mark Levin, that the Biden administration has created their own enigmatic plot to oust Netanyahu from office in favor of a regime change that would place a far-left candidate in the prime minister’s seat. Recently, the White House summoned Netanyahu rival Benny Gantz to meet with them and now Gantz has called for new elections Israel in a few short months.
More to the point, Levin referenced an eye opening article written by renowned columnist Caroline Glick which offers concrete details about Biden’s nefarious plan to find a new leader for Israel and certainly one who is more amenable to marching lock step with the US political agenda in the Middle East which would, of course, feature an independent, sovereign Palestinian state, that would most likely be funded by Iran and operated by one of its terrorist proxies.
In an April 1st article that appeared on the Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) web site titled: “The Biden administration’s war against the government of Israel,” Ms, Glick wrote that “Israel’s far left is reinstating the anti-government riots that occurred regularly through the first three-quarters of 2023.” She added that demonstrations are followed by riots in which a few dozen participate.
She added that, “riots feature bonfires along major traffic arteries, assaults on police and ultra-Orthodox Jews, threats to murder Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and storming police barricades protecting the premier’s home.”
Ms. Glick writes that there are a number of reasons that this is happening but unloads a bombshell that must be taken seriously. She said that, “perhaps the main one was revealed on March 17 by riot leader Ami Dror in a WhatsApp group chat with his colleagues. The communication, which Dror authenticated in an interview with Channel 14, was first reported on X by a poster who operates under the handle, Arbelu the Tuna Hunter.
In that communication, Dror told his colleagues that the White House was asking them to reinstate the riots.
Based on what he referred to as a conversation with his contacts in the White House, Dror set out in granular detail the White House’s four-part plan to overthrow the government. The components involved actions on the ground in Gaza; the use of the U.N. Security Council; extortion of government ministers; and mass protests.
Dror called his report: “An important update from the American administration.”
He explained that his update followed an earlier text he sent out on March 6 on the same topic. “The American plan, as I published it on March 6 remains unchanged. The day after my publication, the Biden administration announced the establishment of an American port [in Gaza] that will seize from Israel the ability to rule the Strip—the port will be used initially to provide food, but the central purpose of the port is to rebuild Gaza.”
The purpose of the U.S. campaign for humanitarian aid, he explained, was twofold: undermining the control of the Israeli Defense Forces in Gaza and blackmailing government ministers.
In his words, “Government ministers are receiving messages from ‘American friends’ that they will be accused of war crimes. Under our radar, the U.S. and the E.U. have framed the hunger in northern Gaza as a war crime. This is an excuse for seizing control over the territory from Israel (parachuting food continuously, including by the German military, and building a port), but the words “potential indictment” for all members of the government of destruction is the clincher. How does it work? There are many members of the government that don’t want to lose their physical or economic freedom. The immediate targets are [billionaire Economy Minister Nir] Barkat (by freezing assets and turning the millionaire into a wanted man) [and] the Haredi parties … they and their communities worldwide have many properties. … Ministers in the government will become potential fugitives if they don’t enable the formation of a government without Kahanists. … Don’t be surprised if [Shas party leader Aryeh] Deri and [Agudat Israel head Minister Yitzhak] Goldknopf bring down the government soon. The Hareidi draft is just an excuse—their Hareidi cronies in America don’t want to get in trouble with Uncle Sam.”
So it would appear that the Biden administration, in a desperate attempt to resolve the war in Gaza lest they risk losing the upcoming presidential election actually are executing a plan to remove Netanyahu from office. To many this was obvious when Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer took the Senate floor and did the bidding of the administration by calling for new elections in Israel while he delivered a scathing address critiquing his erstwhile “friend” Benjamin Netanyahu.
