Biden Struggling to Convince Netanyahu, Testing Limits of Patience

WSJ Analyzes U.S.-Israel Relations

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is testing the patience of U.S. President Joe Biden, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 19th (local time).

According to U.S. and European officials, President Biden is struggling to persuade Prime Minister Netanyahu to take measures to prevent the war between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas in the Gaza Strip from escalating and to maintain the long-standing alliance between the U.S. and Israel.

While the U.S. has publicly supported Israel’s right to self-defense unconditionally, it is deeply concerned about the scale and extent of violence taking place within the Gaza Strip. Notably, according to local health authorities, there have been over 12,000 Palestinian casualties since the 7th of last month.

Biden’s Message to Israeli Leaders

In a WSJ column the day before, President Biden wrote, “I have emphasized to Israeli leaders that they must stop the violence by extremists against Palestinians in the West Bank and hold those who have committed violence accountable.”

He sent a clear signal that he expects the Netanyahu government to crack down on the violence of Israeli settlers in the West Bank targeting Palestinians. Along with this, President Biden mentioned that he would also consider taking measures such as visa bans, which WSJ interpreted as the first public and explicit warning that the U.S.’s patience with Israel is starting to wear thin.

Failure to Persuade on Ceasefire

The WSJ also reported, “The Biden administration has so far failed to properly persuade Prime Minister Netanyahu to agree to a humanitarian pause that could lead to more hostage releases,” adding, “U.S. officials say that as Prime Minister Netanyahu continues to resist a longer ceasefire, the recent conversations between the two leaders have become more tense.”

In the future, U.S. and Israeli officials may also clash over the governance of the Gaza Strip after the expulsion of Hamas.

While both sides agree that Israel should not occupy the Gaza Strip after the war, the Biden administration proposes that the Palestinian government and its territory should ultimately have entire rule over the Gaza Strip.

In a Washington Post (WP) op-ed the day before, President Biden emphasized, “As we strive for peace and a two-state solution, we must reintegrate Gaza and the West Bank under a single governing structure, ultimately entrusted to a rejuvenated Palestinian Authority (PA).”

Israeli Buffer Zone Proposal

Israel does not want to manage the Gaza Strip directly, but after the war, it wants to create a buffer zone (kill zone or no-man’s land) within Gaza along the Israeli border where Palestinians are not allowed.

The WSJ stated, “It’s unclear how the Biden administration will accept this proposal,” adding, “While this proposal technically does not reduce the territory of the Gaza Strip, it will limit Palestinians’ access to this area.”

Earlier, on the 12th, Jake Sullivan, the U.S. National Security Advisor, introduced the U.S. government’s basic principles for the future vision of Palestine, stating, “Israel’s reoccupation of the Gaza Strip is not possible, forced migration of Palestinians is not possible, the use of the Gaza Strip as a base for future terrorist forces is not possible, and the ‘territorial reduction’ of Gaza is not possible.”

By. Lee Jin Young