Occupied Jerusalem- The statements of US President Joe Biden, in which he criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding his management of the war on the Gaza Strip, reflected the state of tension and postponed clash between them, and behind the scenes of the disagreements regarding the future of Gaza after the war, and the settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict according to the two-state solution.
Israeli analysts agreed that Biden’s statements were directed at Netanyahu and his government, and that they do not reflect any change in his position in support of Tel Aviv, and that they are an indication of a change in the American tone towards Netanyahu in everything related to the management of the war on the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and the demand to reconsider the conduct of military operations, This war will not stop.
Will Netanyahu continue to be stubborn after Biden’s recent statements that revealed the size of the gap between the two administrations?#Gaza_War #Gaza_what_next? pic.twitter.com/TqfTFpf6xi
– Tel Aviv Tribune Channel (@AJArabic) December 12, 2023
Tension and disagreements
The analyzes reported by the Israeli media unanimously agreed that these statements express the state of tension and disagreements with Netanyahu that have continued since the beginning of Biden’s term, who refused to receive him in the White House. Even when Netanyahu was re-elected again, the US President met with him on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York.
Under the title, “Biden understands well that Netanyahu is looking for a confrontation with the administration for the sake of his political interests,” Alon Pinkas, the former Israeli consul in New York, wrote an article in the newspaper “Haaretz,” in which he reviewed the messages of the American president’s speech directed mainly at Netanyahu, who seeks – according to Biden’s estimates. – To hold the American administration responsible for not resolving the war with Hamas.
The former Israeli diplomat explained that Biden affirmed his commitment to Israel’s security and defense, but in return he was clear that he did not agree with Netanyahu’s management of the war because it was causing political harm to the United States, himself, and Israel, which was losing the international support it had initially enjoyed.
When the Israelis and the world try to understand the meaning and essence of Biden’s statements, Pinkas says, “There is one equation that must be clear: Biden loves Israel but does not love Netanyahu, and he believes in it but does not trust him, and he sees Tel Aviv as an ally of his country, but he does not see that in Netanyahu.” .
He added that Netanyahu himself is aware and understands the messages of Biden’s speech, and that he will use the American president’s statements in his political career to market them to the Israeli public as evidence that an American president is trying to dismiss him while he is in power, and is leading Israel in a time of war.
But the implications of Biden’s statements are not summed up in what he said, Pinkas explains, “but rather in what he did not say. Biden did not say that Netanyahu – according to White House estimates – seeks confrontation and clash with the American administration regarding the management and conduct of the war, the security reality in Gaza in the future, and dragging Washington into a war.” Regional with the Houthi group or Hezbollah.”
Warning
The same proposal was adopted by Nahum Barnea, a political analyst in the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, who wrote an article entitled “Joe Biden to Netanyahu: Enough is enough,” pointing out that the statements reflect the postponed dispute between them, but they do not imply any changes in the US President’s policies towards Israel, even during the war on Israel. Gaza.
The political analyst indicated that the content of Biden’s speech carries within it features of changing the American position on the management and conduct of the war from the point of view of Netanyahu and his government, but it is not a position against the war and Israel’s right to defend itself.
He pointed out that the US President, who continues to support Israel militarily, in return issued a warning to Netanyahu stating that “it must reach agreements on the future of Gaza the day after the war, and change the government’s policy towards the Palestinians.”
Barnea said that Netanyahu exploited the essence of Biden’s speech addressed to him and the right-wing government in order to support himself with the right-wing camp and preserve the strength of his government if he decided to clash with the American administration in everything related to the conduct of the war and the future of Gaza, and to establish a security belt along the fence with the Gaza Strip, and to insist on the position He rejects the return of the Palestinian Authority to the Gaza Strip.
Regarding the implications related to the public disagreements between Netanyahu and Biden, the political correspondent in the “Israel Hayom” newspaper believes that Netanyahu chose clash and confrontation to launch his election campaign and try to restore the right-wing audience that he lost in the wake of failure and failure to prevent the “Al-Aqsa Flood.”
She believes that the essence of Biden’s speech is directed at Netanyahu and his government, as the US President’s statements do not carry any changes towards Israel or even the principle of the war on Gaza, considering that the differences that came to light boil down to the difference in positions regarding the future of Gaza the day after the war stopped.
Saddam and frustration
As well as disagreements regarding the conduct of military operations, their nature, and the intensity of ground battles and aerial bombardment, but this does not necessarily mean, the political correspondent says, “the Biden administration is moving towards stopping the war completely.”
The disagreements with Washington over the Gaza issue, and the far-right government and its position on the Palestinian issue, the correspondent says, “came out from behind the scenes and into the open in light of the American election campaign in 2024, which may also be in Israel, as the two leaders headed towards a clash to preserve their fortunes and popularity in the face of their rivals.” “.
Regarding Biden’s request from Netanyahu to bring about a change in his government’s coalition, as some considered it interference in internal Israeli affairs, Deputy Foreign Minister and former Israeli ambassador to the United States Danny Ayalon believes that this request reflects “Biden’s frustration with Netanyahu.”
Ayalon pointed out that the US President has differences on regional and local issues with Netanyahu, but he personally leads the US position in support of Israel, militarily, politically and strategically, despite the internal and international criticism and pressure he is exposed to in light of his election campaign for the 2024 US presidential elections.
Ayalon justified Biden’s statements by saying, “To reduce and repel these pressures and to bring another reality to the region at the end of the war in accordance with the common interests between Israel and America, the White House needs to hear what Israel’s vision and positions are, but the elusive Netanyahu acts even in the war according to political considerations, and for this reason “The Americans have gone crazy.”