The president of the United States, arguably the most powerful person in the world, publicly chastised the prime minister of Israel. Publicly chastised! But – and here’s the good news, the situation is not as dire as it appears.
Israel and the US have always had a big brother/younger brother relationship. And like all siblings, they fight. They quibble. They say awful things to each other. But they will always be there for each other. In fact, the reason they feel comfortable saying those awful things is because they know that they will always be there for each other.
These tensions, as high and dramatic as they are, will pass. But not just yet.
The most visible, the most public way for Biden to “dis” Bibi is by holding back on that traditional invite to the White House. For decades, every incoming Israeli prime minister would visit the White House. The tradition grew to resemble a rite of passage. Soon after assuming the mantel of leadership in Jerusalem, the prime minister makes the pilgrimage to Washington, DC to meet with the sitting US president.
The trip had many purposes. On the personal side, for some it was a first meeting and a “get to know you” chat. Israel and the US are such close allies and work so closely together on so many issues, it was important for the leaders to really get to know each other.
On the public side, the president and prime minister would reiterate a commitment to mutual support. On the security side, they would agree that Israel’s nuclear technology and weapons were properly secured and would be utilized responsibly.
Most importantly, they would agree that the US has Israel’s back and that the US would actively engage and defend Israel in any multi-front war against her attackers. For certain, other items would be discussed by the various presidents and prime ministers, issues that, based on their personalities, we can only speculate about.
Historically, the meetings were always conducted behind closed doors. Afterward, there was always a press conference. That was the opportunity for these world leaders to charm the media. The smiles and handshakes and pats on the back appeared genuine, and usually were. But the audience they were playing for was not their respective local audience.
It was essential for the security of Israel, for the security of the region, and in the best interest of the US, for the world to see that the relationship between Israel and the US – the warm relationship, the cordial relationship, the “we-are-on-the-same-page” relationship between these two nations – continues even though the leadership has changed.
BY BREAKING with tradition, the White House is trying to teach Jerusalem a lesson. They are minimizing the brush-off by using a historical argument. They claim that Biden has known Netanyahu for 40 years and that they already have a strong and very friendly relationship. But the world needs to see it in action. And right now, what the world has heard Biden say belies that explanation.
It is obvious that Washington is not pleased with his new government, especially Netanyahu’s push for judicial reform. And despite the decades of warm friendship between the two leaders, Netanyahu does not care that Biden is displeased.
Netanyahu knows Biden won't be re-elected and that the US is divided
Netanyahu has almost certainly determined that he can weather the storm. He has calculated that Biden cannot and will not be re-elected. No matter which victor emerges in the 2024 US election for president – Republican or Democrat – it will not be Biden. That realization gives Netanyahu peace of mind. He will be friendly to the sitting US president, but Netanyahu is behaving as if Biden is a lame duck.
The non-invite to Washington, aka the invite which will come whenever it comes, does not trouble Jerusalem. If it did, Jerusalem would be lobbying hard for the meeting. And they are not lobbying at all.
This White House does not understand that Israel today is a divided country. It is split nearly perfectly in half. The division is not just about judicial reform, it is about almost everything. And it is certainly split – especially split, about Netanyahu.
And this is where Israel has the upper hand. The US is also split, right down the middle, and not just about former president Donald Trump and his indictment. You see it in the television ratings war, where it is Fox vs the others. Congress is split, with the House of Representatives for the Republicans; the Senate for the Democrats. The US is wrenched right down the middle.
Israel understands the United States. The Prime Minister’s Office is feeling secure. They see these divisions in the US. Most importantly, they know that their real friendships rest in Congress and not the White House. And they know that regardless of what happens regarding judicial reform, the friendship, the family ties between the US and Israel will remain intact.
Despite the division in Israel, and the division in the US, the one issue unifying Washington is the bipartisan, almost unanimous, support of Israel. And that’s all that matters.
The writer is a social and political commentator. Watch his TV show, Thinking Out Loud, on Jewish Broadcasting Service.