Netanyahu's defiance challenges, exposes power of US under Biden
4 Min Read
Netanyahu's defiance is a major problem for the US President, especially since younger Americans are increasingly becoming pro-Palestine and opposing Biden's handling of the war on Gaza.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a gathering of Jewish leaders, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024 (AP)
US President Joe Biden has allegedly been nice up until now to ask "Israel" to be so kind and increase the flow of food aid into Gaza as the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, cited reports that the threat of hunger now confronted “100% of the population of Gaza." Now, no more "Mr. Nice Guy," says The Guardian.
David Miliband of the International Rescue Committee said this week that there is still “a series of impediments, blockages, restrictions … on lorries carrying the most basic humanitarian aid," noting that "Israel’s" ban on “dual use” items means that just a pair of scissors for a clinic can make an entire truck of aid go back.
Netanyahu's defiance is a major problem for Biden, especially since this year could result in his re-election as President and since younger Americans are increasingly becoming pro-Palestine and opposing Biden's handling of the war on Gaza. This is particularly seen in the battleground state of Michigan.
Veteran Republican strategist Mike Murphy told The Guardian's writer Jonathan Freedland on the Unholy podcast: “If the election were held tomorrow, I think Biden would lose Michigan... this is a pain point."
It has been constantly clear that a US president is enough to make an Israeli prime minister change course, such as a shake from Dwight Eisenhower ending the Suez War of 1956, one phone call from Ronald Reagan ending the Israeli bombardment of Beirut in 1982, and George HW Bush pushing a Likud prime minister to attend the Madrid "peace conference", by threatening to withhold $10 billion in loan guarantees.
Even though Biden has repeatedly made his dissatisfaction clear, Netanyahu does not bat an eye, and this is making the hegemonic aura of the US look like nothing.
Read more: Netanyahu 'bad f*****g guy', Biden says during private talks: Reports
'You've been punked'
David Axelrod, former senior adviser to Barack Obama, said on Unholy, “The subtext of the whole Republican campaign is that the world’s out of control and Biden’s not in command,” adding, “That’s basically their argument, and they use age as a surrogate for weakness.”
Netanyahu seems to be “punking” Biden, says Axelrod.
Israeli analysts claim Netanyahu is just bark and no bite as he "is more compliant."
Amos Harel, analyst for the Haaretz newspaper, said there are only three and a half IOF brigades currently in Gaza as opposed to the 28 when the war first began.
“Netanyahu is in a campaign, and for the time being at least, ‘Rafah’ is just a slogan,” he told Freedland.
That being said, for the rest of the road, Biden has two options. The first is a breakthrough in the talks in Qatar to release captives and stop hostilities to allow aid to flow in.
However, this pause frightens Netanyahu since that would spell the end of his career as prime minister and a quicker road to his trial, and this is why he keeps buying time at least until November - when he hopes the one he has to talk to will be presidential candidate Donald Trump.
The second route for Biden is tougher. Last month, Biden demanded countries that receive arms from America confirm in writing that they abide by international law and on humanitarian aid.
Suppose that declaration is not certified by the US, in that case, all weapons sales stop immediately and Biden does not want to be the one to do that, especially with an open front with Lebanon's Resistance in the South of the country.
Netanyahu is not new to American politics after having been buddy-buddy with four US presidents and the Republican party and taken advantage of the military and diplomatic alliance no one else can do.
Now, with no hope to negotiate with Biden, he has turned to his last resort: the Israeli lobby.
