Israel on Sunday responded to President Biden’s Poor performance in debate Many believe that this move could provoke America’s Middle Eastern enemies at a critical moment for the United States to exercise leadership in the region.
Israeli commentators across the political spectrum have warned that Iran and its proxies may try to exploit Biden’s apparent weaknesses at a time when Israel is at war with Hamas in Gaza and considering the possibility of an all-out conflict with the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon.
U.S. officials have been trying Facilitating a diplomatic solution Tensions have mounted between Israel and Hezbollah as they try to avert a larger regional war they fear would draw in Iran and the U.S. The Biden administration is also working closely with other mediators to try to push for a Gaza ceasefire that would involve exchanging Gaza’s remaining hostages for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly pressured the Biden administration to Speed up the supply of military supplies Before the conflict broke out with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Several Israeli Sunday newspapers ran the debate on their front pages, a delayed reaction: The debate took place before dawn local time on Friday, after weekend papers had gone to press. And Hebrew dailies do not publish on Saturday, the Sabbath.
Analysts at the right-wing liberal newspaper Israel Today and the left-wing newspaper Haaretz struck starkly different tones, but both raised concerns that enemies of Israel and the United States are testing the resolve of the U.S. government.
“Will Hezbollah and Iran decide that Biden is too busy to support Israel in case a full-scale war breaks out in Lebanon this summer?” said Amos Harel, military affairs analyst at Haaretz. wrote on Sunday.
While some on the Israeli right mocked Biden’s debate performance and hoped Trump would win, Mr. Harel went on to say that this was a sign of ingratitude, since the American president supports Israel and provides it with large amounts of weapons. “Besides,” he added, “Trump is a fragile reed and cannot be relied upon.”
During Thursday’s presidential debate, Trump accused Biden of not wanting Israel to “finish its job in Gaza,” calling him weak and using the term ” ‘Palestinian’ is an insultBiden did not respond.
Throughout the war, Biden has been a staunch supporter of Israel, though he has also been critical, often calling on Israel to limit civilian casualties and work to ease the humanitarian crisis in Palestinian territories.
His relationship with Netanyahu is long-standing. Shortly after Hamas-led terrorists attacked southern Israel last fall, sparking the Gaza War, Biden flew to Israel to strongly express his support for Israel. He has since paid a political price for his support, angering American anti-war activists who want the U.S. government to stop providing arms to Israel.
But Biden and Netanyahu’s vision There have been disagreements In recent months, the U.S. government has withheld shipments of heavy bombs bound for Israel over concerns they could be used in densely populated areas, while Biden has dismissed Netanyahu’s oft-cited goal of “total victory” over Hamas as a vague objective that implies an open-ended war.
Trump has been a strong supporter of Israel during his presidency and has largely deferred to the agenda of Netanyahu and his right-wing allies. During his tenure, Trump moved the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, fulfilling a long-standing Israeli demand.
But the former president appeared to sour on Mr Netanyahu. He said the Hamas-led attack was the result of Mr Netanyahu’s lack of preparation and praised Hezbollah as “very smart”. interview In an interview with Israel Today in March, Trump suggested that Israel end the Gaza war because Israel was losing much of the world’s support.
“You have to get it done,” he told reporters. “We have to make peace — we can’t let this go on.”
The publisher of Israel Today is Dr. Miriam Adelson, the widow of Sheldon Adelson and a staunchly pro-Israel mega-donor. Now supporting Donald Trump’s third presidential campaign.
Israel Today columnist Amnon Lord insisted on Sunday that Biden’s performance in the debate proved the persistent narrative that “a group of ultra-progressive” aides are driving U.S. foreign policy.
“In a world full of aggressive forces,” he wrote“The disgraceful image of the president of the United States as the leader of the free world appearing weak and incoherent has encouraged them to seize the opportunity.”
Lord added: “Biden’s decline reflects the collapse of his Middle East policy toward Iran and its proxies.”
Lord was cautious about Trump’s performance in the debate, saying only that he himself “didn’t gain supporters.”
The mainstream Hebrew daily Yediot published a front-page column calling Biden’s performance a “disaster.” Columnist Nadav Eyal wrote that faced with the prospect of Trump’s re-election as president, the Democrats and their allies bear the fate of the free world on their shoulders.
“Weakness is not a character trait that can be exhibited by an American president, regardless of the circumstances.” wrote.
Gabrielle Sobelman and Myra Novick Contributed reporting.
