US President Biden calls on Netanyahu to shelve the legal revolution (Twitter)
Only three months after the establishment of the new government in Israel, US President Joe Biden released the Nazarene and clarified how serious the crisis between the countries is. The criticism he voiced of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his public statement that the Prime Minister of Israel will not soon be invited to the White House, were not heard from him To no leader of any US ally, perhaps except for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
why is it important
Biden's words are worrisome precisely because of the fact that he is the most moderate and Israel-friendly element in the Democratic Party, with 50 years of pro-Israel legislation and action behind him as a senator, as vice president and now as president.
Biden's criticism showed how concerned he is about the government's plan to weaken the judicial system, its effect on Israeli democracy and the future of the relationship between the US and Israel. The Americans see how Israel is turning from a villa in the jungle, to a jungle in a villa.
Behind the Scenes
Biden wanted to make every effort to avoid a confrontation with Netanyahu after the latter returned to the prime minister's office.
However, as time passed and especially against the background of the government's plan to weaken the justice system, the American president began to lose patience.
American officials warned Netanyahu and his people in recent weeks not to provoke Joe Biden.
They told them precisely because Biden defines himself as a Zionist, he has red lines and he will not be able to tolerate damage to Israeli democracy.
An Israeli source said that the Biden administration began to really understand the situation in Israel when Defense Minister Lloyd Austin came to visit a few weeks ago and had to meet with Netanyahu and Defense Minister Galant in Israel due to the protests across the country. "It reminded the Americans of their visits to Iraq," said the Israeli source.
Gallant's dismissal by Netanyahu on Sunday was the straw that broke the camel's back for the US president. The Americans were furious and sent harsh messages both to the ambassador in Washington, Mike Herzog, and to the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem, according to which they expect Netanyahu to stop the legislation immediately.
Biden's words last night, after the legislation had already been suspended, were intended, among other things, to correct the impression left by the interviews of the US ambassador to Israel, Tom Neides, as if the problem had been resolved. In addition, Biden wanted to make it clear that, contrary to the ambassador's words, Netanyahu will not be invited to the White House anytime soon.
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reminder
Despite a 40-year acquaintance and mutual personal affection, Joe Biden is the fourth president with whom Netanyahu has faced off.
The prime minister did not get along with Bill Clinton and Barack Obama and even claimed that the two tried to interfere in the Israeli elections and overthrow him from power (Clinton even admitted this to Netanyahu).
In the case of Donald Trump, the deterioration was slower, but even here the relationship ended in an explosion.
Like Clinton and Obama, Trump also concluded that Netanyahu was a liar.
The former president also expressed this with typical bluntness when he told me that Netanyahu can "go fuck himself".
The big picture
The crisis that Netanyahu created with the US, precisely when the most central, moderate and pro-Israel democratic president sits in the White House, causes enormous damage to Israel's standing in America and around the world.
The strength of Israel and the international attitude towards it are directly based on the strong alliance between it and the US and the ability of the Prime Minister of Israel to open doors in Washington and influence the White House.
The weakening of the alliance with the USA in recent weeks undermines Israel's position in the world, its assets towards many countries and the deterrence it transmits towards its enemies.
In Tehran, Cairo, Riyadh, Beijing, Moscow, Berlin and many other capitals look at the events and perceive Israel as weaker.
This may encourage Iranian aggression and further chill the process of normalization with the Arab world.
What next
The American president made it clear publicly that his expectation is that Netanyahu will withdraw from his plan to weaken the justice system.
This is a message that will affect the negotiations that opened yesterday at the president's residence and will strengthen the pressure levers of the opposition leaders.
The meaning of Biden's words is that if a broad agreement on legal reform is not reached, and if Netanyahu returns to unilateral and extreme legislation in the next session of the Knesset, the crisis between the US and Israel will only worsen.
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