Israelis expressed growing concern Sunday that President Biden’s shaky debate performance could provoke the country’s Middle Eastern adversaries at a time many see as a critical moment for U.S. leadership in the region.
As Israel battles Hamas in Gaza and considers the possibility of all-out war with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia, Israeli commentators from across the political spectrum have warned that Iran and its proxies could try to exploit Biden’s apparent weaknesses.
U.S. officials are trying to resolve tensions between Israel and Hezbollah diplomatically to avoid a broader regional war that could embroil both Iran and the U.S. The Biden administration is also working actively with other mediators to push for a ceasefire agreement that would swap the remaining hostages in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly pressed the Biden administration to speed up military supplies in preparation for a clash with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
In something of a belated response, several Israeli Sunday newspapers carried the debate on their front pages – the debate took place before dawn local time on Friday, after the weekend papers had been printed – and Hebrew-language dailies are not published on Saturday, the Sabbath.
Analysts from the right-wing free newspaper Israel Hayom and the left-wing newspaper Haaretz took very different tones, but both expressed concern that enemies of Israel and the United States were testing the administration’s resolve.
“Will Hezbollah and Iran decide that President Biden is too busy to support Israel in case all-out war breaks out in Lebanon this summer?” said Amos Harel, a military analyst at Haaretz newspaper. I have written on sunday.
While some on the Israeli right have mocked Biden’s debate performance and are hoping for a Trump victory, Harel said it was a sign of ingratitude after the US president supported Israel and provided it with tons of weapons. “What’s more,” he added, “Trump is too weak to rely on.”
During Thursday’s presidential debate, Trump raised eyebrows by accusing Biden of not wanting Israel to “finish its mission” in Gaza, calling him weak and using the word “Palestinians” as an insult. Biden offered little response.
Biden has been a strong supporter of Israel throughout the war but has also been critical, frequently calling on Israel to limit civilian casualties and ease the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territories.
Biden has a long history with Netanyahu. Last fall, Biden visited Israel in a strong show of solidarity shortly after the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel that sparked the Gaza war. Biden has since paid a political price for his support for Israel, infuriating U.S. opponents of the war who have called on Washington to stop supplying Israel with military equipment.
But Biden and Netanyahu’s vision has diverged in recent months, with Washington suspending shipments of heavy bombs to Israel for fear they would be used in populated areas, and Biden dismissing Netanyahu’s oft-stated goal of “total victory” against Hamas as a vague objective that would mean indefinite war.
As president, Trump was a strong supporter of Israel and generally aligned with the policies of Netanyahu and his right-wing allies. During his presidency, Trump moved the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, fulfilling a long-standing Israeli request.
But the former president appeared to be uncomfortable with Netanyahu, saying the Hamas-led attack was the result of Netanyahu’s lack of preparation and praising Hezbollah as “very smart.” interview Speaking to Israel Hayom in March, President Trump advised an end to the war in Gaza, saying Israel was losing significant global support.
“We have to get this done,” he told the newspaper, “and we have to make peace. We can’t keep doing this.”
Israel Hayom’s publisher is Dr. Miriam Adelson, the widow of Sheldon Adelson and an ardent pro-Israel megadonor who is currently backing Donald Trump’s third run for the White House.
Israel Hayom columnist Amnon Rode argued Sunday that Biden’s performance in the debate proves the persistent claim that an “extremely progressive group” of his aides is driving U.S. foreign policy.
“In a world dominated by aggressive forces,” he said, I have written“The unfavorable image of the leader of the free world, the American president, as weak and inconsistent, encourages them to seize the opportunity.”
“Biden’s decline reflects the collapse of his Middle East policy vis-à-vis Iran and its proxies,” Lord added.
Lord was careful not to comment on Trump’s performance in the debate, saying only that Trump also “failed to win over supporters.”
The mainstream Hebrew daily newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth ran a front-page column describing Biden’s performance as a “catastrophe.” Columnist Nadav Eyal wrote that facing the possibility of another Trump presidency, Democrats and their allies held the fate of the free world in their hands.
“Weakness is not a trait an American president can ever boast,” he says. I have written.
Gaby Sobelman and Myra Noveck Contributed report.