The conversation was leaked to the media, presumably by someone looking to frame American support of Israel’s war against Palestinian terrorists as waning. The Israeli war cabinet was meeting and American Secretary of State Anthony Blinken was an active participant. Secretary Blinken said, “You can’t operate in southern Gaza in the way you did in the north. There are two million Palestinians there. You need to evacuate fewer people from their homes, be more accurate in the attacks, not hit UN facilities, and ensure that there are enough protected areas for civilians. And if not? Then not to attack where there is a civilian population. What is your system of operation?”
IDF Chief Herzi Halevi reportedly responded, “We follow a number of principles – proportionality, distinction, and the laws of war. There were instances where we attacked on the basis of those principles, and instances where we decided not to attack, because we waited for a better opportunity.” Secretary Blinken reportedly responded, “I don’t think you have the credit for that.”
Secretary Blinken’s comments sent shockwaves through the followers of the US-Israel relationship and followers of the war in Israel and Gaza. The American administration, led by President Joe Biden himself, had been adamant in its support of Israel’s goal of eliminating Hamas from Gaza. Now it seemed that Secretary Blinken was signaling there had been a change in the tenor of America’s support and an expiration date on American support of Israel’s defense had been set.
Did the US set an expiration date on its support of Israel's war?
There can be no doubt that the United States has been Israel’s greatest ally in the world. For 75 years, America has stood by Israel. From then-president Harry Truman rejecting the advice of his advisers and recognizing the new State of Israel only 11 minutes after its founding, to President Biden’s strong show of empathy and support following the Simchat Torah massacre, Israel has always been able to rely on the United States.
Over the past two presidential administrations, Israelis have been elated with the American government’s support of Israel. Trump and Biden’s support of Israel has been a source of inspiration for Israelis. After the challenging Obama years of “daylight between America and Israel,” the last two president’s strong support of Israel is refreshing. Moving the Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and an outpouring of empathy, financial, diplomatic, and military support have been meaningful highlights of the US-Israel relationship.
Israelis do plenty to express their gratitude to the United States for their support of Israel. In our town of Mitzpe Yeriho we are proud to host American politicians, Embassy staff, and officials brave enough to “cross the green line” and visit a settlement. I was proud to host then-American ambassador to Israel David Friedman and Aryeh Lightstone, the American State Department point person in the Middle East for the actualization of the Abraham Accords, for an official ceremony to thank them for their service.
There is a well-known story – but unverified – that in June 1982, when then-Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin testified before the American Senate Foreign Relations committee, then-Delaware senator Joe Biden threatened to cut off America’s foreign aid to Israel. Senator Biden felt that Israel had to halt the policy of establishing new Jewish settlements in the West Bank.” Senator Biden said “Israel was losing support in this country because of the settlement policy.”
Begin responded: “Don’t threaten us with cutting off your aid. It will not work. I am not a Jew with trembling knees. I am a proud Jew with 3,700 years of civilized history. Nobody came to our aid when we were dying in the gas chambers and ovens. Nobody came to our aid when we were striving to create our country. We paid for it. We fought for it. We died for it. We will stand by our principles. We will defend them. And, when necessary, we will die for them again, with or without your aid.” Begin continued, “Don’t threaten us with slashing aid. Do you think that because the US lends us money it is entitled to impose on us what we must do? We are grateful for the assistance we have received, but we are not to be threatened. I am a proud Jew. Three thousand years of culture are behind me, and you will not frighten me with threats.”
Whether or not the confrontation between Begin and Biden occurred as reported or not, it is reminiscent of another quote that Begin said, “We will be nobody’s cowering Jew. We won’t wait for the Americans or the United Nations to save us. Those days are over. We have to defend ourselves. Without readiness for self-sacrifice, there will be another Auschwitz. And if we have to pay a price for the sake of our self-defense, then we will have to pay it. The people of Israel have lived 3,700 years without a memorandum of understanding with America and will continue to live without it another 3,700 years.” Prime Minister Begin was grateful for American support of Israel but understood that an independent Israel wasn’t going to bend to another nation. A strong US-Israel relationship is one where America doesn’t pressure Israel to take steps against its best interests.
When asked about Secretary Blinken’s comment about Israel not having the “credit” to fight in South Gaza as it did in North Gaza, Netanyahu said, “I told him we have sworn, and I have sworn, to destroy Hamas. Nothing will stop us. This is the same Hamas. It’s the same Hamas that committed the terrible massacre on October 7, the same Hamas that is trying to murder us everywhere. In the last few days, I hear a question – will Israel return to fighting after this phase of returning our abductees is exhausted? My answer is unequivocal – yes! There is no way we are not going back to fighting until the end. This is my policy, the entire cabinet stands behind it, the entire government stands behind it, the soldiers stand behind it, the people stand behind it – and that is exactly what we will do.”
Israel is an independent nation with the right, like all nations, to determine its own future based on its own interests. Israel doesn’t need “credit” to fight and eliminate the Palestinian terrorists and their supporters that brutally attacked Israel on Simchat Torah. If Biden thinks he can pressure Israel to stop the war prematurely, he will see that Israel is not a nation of cowering Jews.
The writer is a certified interfaith hospice chaplain in Jerusalem and the mayor of Mitzpe Yeriho, Israel. She lives with her husband and six children.