As of: March 27, 2024, 10:11 a.m
Comments
Press
Split
US President Joe Biden (l.) and Israel's Prime Minister at a meeting in Tel Aviv in October last year.
© Avi Ohayon/GPO/dpa
The relationship between Joe Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu was not an easy one even before the Gaza war.
The relationship is now at the breaking point.
There are also domestic political reasons for this.
Tel Aviv/Washington - When the US government appears publicly irritated, it usually means that something is seriously wrong.
And in fact, everything that is currently being heard from Washington and Tel Aviv suggests that relations between Israel and its most important ally the USA, between US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, are in poor shape.
There is talk of a turning point after Netanyahu demonstrated in a remarkable way what he thinks of his closest allies when they increase the pressure.
An Israeli delegation was actually supposed to travel to Washington this week.
US representatives wanted to address their concerns about a ground offensive planned by Israel in the city of Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip - and to show alternatives.
But Netanyahu canceled the trip after the UN Security Council, with the help of the US, passed a resolution on Monday increasing international pressure on Israel.
In view of the past few months, in which the tone of the US and the president towards Israel has sharpened significantly, this is a public clash of a new quality.
But things have been brewing behind the scenes for a long time.
For Netanyahu, it's about political survival
Netanyahu's constant demands from the US include more humanitarian aid for Gaza.
Or exhortations to finally present a strategy for the administration of the conquered coastal area.
And also concerns about the Rafah offensive, which he has announced several times.
Netanyahu's objections to the US's wishes are partly shared by the military and the majority of the population in Israel.
But what is striking is the shrill and confrontational manner in which the head of government expresses it.
“He doesn’t behave like an ally,” wrote the Haaretz daily on Tuesday.
“His most important priority is his political survival.”
Netanyahu has been under immense domestic political pressure since October 7th.
Under his leadership, the country was not prepared for the Hamas attack and state institutions and security forces were paralyzed in the crucial first hours.
The military's successes, which then got on track, are evaporating in the Gaza Strip due to the fact that there is no strategy for administering the areas where the army has crushed Hamas' combat units - but nothing else is happening.
Disrupting factors in the decision-making process are the right-wing extremist and ultra-religious parties with which Netanyahu's Likud has governed since the end of 2022.
They pursue messianic, unreal goals such as the Jewish repopulation of Gaza and the expulsion of the Palestinians.
At the same time, Netanyahu is accused in corruption trials.
The fall of his coalition government would dangerously tighten the legal noose around his neck.
“Duel” with Biden could help Netanyahu
The sharp confrontation with his most important ally is now a real challenge for Netanyahu.
Throughout his long political career, the right-wing politician used populist strategies.
Populists build up enemies in order to combat them as a bugbear in the media.
In Netanyahu's case, these were weak-kneed leftists who supposedly wanted to divide Jerusalem, moderates and liberals who would hand Israel over to its enemies - and now America, where a left-left establishment wants to prevent him from claiming "total victory" in Gaza fight for.
Nevertheless, Netanyahu's poll numbers are in the basement.
Fifty-seven percent of voters rated his performance as “poor” or “very bad,” and another 14 percent rated his performance as “mediocre,” according to a survey whose results were released Tuesday.
New elections, which the politician wants to prevent at all costs, would sweep him from power.
His main aim now is to bring the “duel” between him and Biden into the center of media attention in order to distract from his political failure, the daily “Maariv” wrote on Tuesday.
“He is willing to sacrifice Israel’s relationship with the US for a short-lived political media coup.”
Netanyahu's provocations are dangerous for Biden
The relationship between Netanyahu and Biden, who have known each other for a long time, was not an easy one even before the Gaza war.
For example, Biden publicly rebuked Netanyahu for his much-criticized judicial reform.
Washington also repeatedly found clear words when it came to Israel's settlement policy.
A visit to the White House after Netanyahu's re-election in fall 2022 never took place.
Biden took a long time to invite him - then the Gaza war intervened.
The two were never said to have a particularly good relationship.
My news
Baby happiness after the end of his career: Olympic ski champion becomes a father for the first time a few days after retirement
Bankruptcy of German industry giant: next traditional company goes bankrupt
After attack in Moscow: Putin ally Lukashenko accidentally torpedoes Ukraine claim read
“Technical problems” with the Leopard: Denmark points to Germany after bumpy Ukraine donation
2 hours ago
Prisoner escapes while being treated at the clinic - and is caught two days later after being tipped off
“That’s disrespectful”: Civil servants earn as little as citizens’ benefit recipients – and the traffic lights are watching
For Biden, too, the relationship with Netanyahu and Israel has a domestic political dimension in addition to the foreign policy and moral components.
The 81-year-old is running for a second term in the presidential election in November.
Many Muslim and younger, progressive Democrats criticize the president in view of the many civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip and consider his tone towards Netanyahu to be too mild.
Hardly a public appearance goes by without Biden being interrupted by troublemakers because of his dealings with Israel.
Balancing act for Biden
The relationship between the USA and Israel currently sometimes seems paradoxical.
On the one hand, there is Biden's commitment to Israel to unconditionally support the country in the war against Hamas and to finally achieve the release of all hostages - a commitment that US government officials and Biden himself repeat at every opportunity.
The USA is Israel's most important protecting power and supports the country with billions of dollars every year, a significant portion of which goes towards missile defense and other military technology.
On the other hand, US aid is now flowing on a large scale to the Gaza Strip, where the suffering of the civilian population is getting worse every day.
Due to the desperate situation of the people in Gaza, the USA, Germany and other countries have ordered the airdrop of humanitarian goods and the establishment of an aid corridor by sea - because their ally Israel is persistently restricting aid by land.
Biden's struggles in dealing with Netanyahu are currently more visible than ever.
As the cracks in their relationship become more apparent, he struggles to make it clear how firmly he stands by Israel.
The question arises as to how long this balancing act will be successful.
And what happens if Israel actually invades Rafah?
Because Biden has defined this as a “red line”.
dpa