Biden Is No Friend of Israel

President Biden’s articulated support for Israel — our most important ally in the Middle East — is an example of differentiating from what a person says and what they do – and sometimes even what they do not say.

Without doubt, President Trump was the most pro-Israel President in modern times.  He is the first to back up verbal support for the only democratic republic in the region with specific – and some may call bold – actions.

Because of Palestinian ties to the Iran-backed terrorist group Hamas – which now controls Gaza – Trump cut off funds to the Palestinians.  We must keep in mind that virtually all the missile attacks on Israel come from Gaza – currently more than 1,500.

Even worse, Hamas is poised to take over all the Palestinian territory. 

That is why the Palestinian Authority — which currently controls the rest of the Palestinian territory — canceled an upcoming election – an admission that they were about to lose to Hamas backers.

In a bold symbolic move, Trump moved the American embassy to Jerusalem – something previous presidents promised but never fulfilled.  This signaled that the United States believes that the control of Jerusalem is in the hands of Israel.

Prior to Trump, American presidents, and now Biden, endorsed the so-called “two-state solution” as the only road to eventual peace between Israel and Palestine.  That requirement has produced a stalemate for generations.  Trump did not remove the “two-state solution” as an option. He stated that a one-state solution must be considered – that would essentially deny the Palestinians a prescribed national homeland.

The two-state solution is doomed to failure because the Palestinians refused to accept the right of Israel to exist. 

Their policy has been – and is – the violent destruction of the Jewish State. And among the most extreme Muslim elements, a campaign of genocide against the Jewish people.  Palestinians still pay bounties on anyone killing Jews in an act of terrorism – especially suicide bombings.

A two-state solution under those circumstances would put a permanent warring NATION on the border of Israel. That would be a greater danger than even the current aggressive activities of Hamas.

In the Abraham Accords, Trump was able to get three Arab nations to make peace with Israel – committing to the right of Israel to exist and establishing important commercial ties.  This was a monumental achievement that the anti-Trump media simply refused to recognize and report adequately.

Now we have a raging battle between Israel and the Palestinians – particularly the Hamas faction.  News reporters say that the thousands of missiles are flying across the border has the look of war.  Well, duh!  It is war.

Biden’s policy seems to be to stand down.  Oh, Biden did say that Israel has the right to defend itself. But that is like saying birds have a right to fly.  It is what Biden has DONE before and since the conflict has escalated that is important. 

He basically leaned American policy back in favor of the Arab positions. 

That should come as no surprise since Biden was part of President Obama’s shift from a pro-Israel policy to one more favorable to the Palestinians.  They called it a “more balanced” policy. But no matter how you describe it, it moved the needle toward the Palestinian position.

Biden lost no time in doing the same.  He re-instituted the money to the Palestinians that Trump had ended.  He reaffirmed a two-state option as the only option acceptable to the United States. Thereby killing any hope of a resolution in the foreseeable future.

It is also important what Biden did not say.  He did not call out members of his own party in Congress who clearly made anti-Semitic comments – and who have backed severe anti-Israel policies, such as the Boycott, Disinvest and Sanction (BDS) movement. 

To date, Biden has not indicated whether he opposes BDS or supports it.  Rather he dodges the issue in the same way he dodges the entire Israeli-Arab situation.  Behind the scenes, Biden is likely to oppose such an overtly anti-Israel policy, but may be afraid of the backlash from the anti-Semitic elements in his own party if he says so out loud.

Apart from his wimpish endorsement of Israel’s right to defend itself, presidential advisors are putting out the message that the Biden White House will “stand back” in terms of the current conflict.  The President will just let it play out.  That is nothing less than the re-labeling of Obama’s miserably failed policy of “leading from behind.”

The “stand back” policy also sends a message to the world community that America sees equivalency between the Israeli and Palestinian positions – and that impression is very dangerous to Israel by giving license to anti-Semitic sentiments in the Arab world and among the greater international community.

The Biden team is complaining that – in terms of Israel – they inherited a difficult situation from Trump. 

That, of course, has been the standard mantra about every issue they cannot seem to handle in a positive manner.  Their complaint is predicated on the fact that it is virtually impossible to reverse ALL of Trump’s pro-Israel policies – only some of them. 

In many ways, the United States’ unwillingness to take a firm stand for Israel has been a major factor in the inability to resolve the issues – the never-ending hostilities.  America needs to do what Trump did – and Biden undid.  That is to tell the Palestinian leaders that you recognize Israel and cease the attacks, or you have no say in the outcome.  No concession on that central point … no negotiations, no money.  And no Palestinian state.  Land issues can be negotiated, but ONLY after the right of Israel to exist is accepted … period.

All the Trump policies that Biden has reversed have been to Israel’s disadvantage – and have played an unfortunate role in the current conflict.  Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu has let it be known that Biden’s actions – or inactions – would not change Israeli policies.  It would not stop Israel from doing what it needs to do … to defend itself. 

So, there ‘tis.