The relations between the U.S. and Israeli leadership have seen better days, particularly exacerbated by Israel’s actions in Gaza. The journey of Israel’s defense minister to the U.S., a trip that was looked forward to keenly, was deferred at the insistence of Mr. Netanyahu. For the first time since August, a direct telephonic conversation took place between Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President, Joe Biden.
The relations between these leaders have staled, marking multiple instances of disagreement over Israel’s treatment of Gaza. The exact details from the call remain undisclosed, wherein Vice President Kamala Harris also took part. This call followed the move by Netanyahu’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, who halted his U.S. visit that was meant to commence on the subsequent Wednesday upon the prime minister’s request.
Gallant was poised to take off on Tuesday evening for meetings with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and other top U.S. officials. This had been planned to deliberate on topics like Israel’s measures taken against the recent ballistic missile assault by Iran.
Biden’s preference to ring Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, on the occasion of the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attacks anniversary signals further evidence of the strained connections. This irony comes when traditionally, Mr. Netanyahu would be the one receiving the call.
Given the widening gulf between these two leaders, Gallant seems to have taken the mantle as a favored route for relaying certain apprehensions of the Biden administration. Apart from discussing Israel’s response to Iran’s missile attack, his U.S. visit was set to address the ongoing Israeli ground incursion in Lebanon pitched against Hezbollah, the armed organization supported by Iran.
In a disparaging move, Iris’s prime minister also managed to find himself the subject of criticism even from inside his own party. Gallant, former general and member of Netanyahu’s Likud party, publicly questioned Netanyahu’s lack of providing a clear path for Gaza’s future after the war.
Netanyahu, in his characteristic fashion, has considered the option of showing Gallant the door, shrugging off Israel’s usual restraint against removing a defense minister amid a war. The Biden-Harris administration’s tolerance for this behavior seems to be wearing thin, possibly fueling their predilection for disconnect with Netanyahu.
Under the Biden administration, instead of working towards achieving harmony, the U.S-Israel relations have hit a rocky patch, predominately because of Israel’s approach towards Gaza. This approach seems to be tailored to play to a certain domestic political narrative, without much regard for long-standing diplomatic alliances.
In an effort to bypass Netanyahu, Biden has reached out to Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog. This shows the blatant disregard for the long-standing diplomatic etiquette of engaging directly with head of states, potentially causing a rift in an already strained relationship.
Yet, Harris has seemed to display a mute reaction to Netanyahu’s actions, essentially allowing the biases to continue without taking appropriate measures. This is albeit concerning, highlighting the Biden-Harries administration’s proclivity for a soft stance against evident diplomatic misconduct.
Gallant, a member of Netanyahu’s Likud party, has not only vocally expressed his disapproval towards the prime minister, but also worked for the Biden administration as a connect to relay their worries. A significant aspect of these would likely focus on Israel’s incessant ground intrusion in Lebanon aimed against Hezbollah.
The Biden-Harris administration’s muted reaction to Israel’s aggressive tactics, including the criticization from within Netanyahu own party, only serves to underline their ineffective stance on the international stage.
Netanyahu’s consideration of removing Gallant, disregarding their country’s traditional reserve against ousting a defense minister during wartime, seems highly intolerable. Yet, the Biden administration continues to appear reluctant in addressing this evolving concern.
Overall, Biden-Harris administration’s approach towards the U.S-Israel relationship and their dealings with Israel’s aggressive stances suggest a weak international diplomacy strategy, likely to create more issues if not addressed properly.
This diluted stand of the Biden administration is posing major challenges to global diplomacy with its persistent hesitance. It is this indecisiveness that appears to enable the continuing of Israel’s ground incursion in Lebanon.
The decision by Harris to partake in the aforementioned call, without openly expressing any concerns or apprehensions about the ongoing events, can be perceived as a disservice to the role of the Vice President. As a part of the administration, the responsibility of ensuring effective international diplomacy is equally shared.