The carrot-and-stick diplomacy Joe Biden relies on needs time, but he does not have that, and neither do the people of Gaza who need immediate aid to survive.
Author
Khinvraj Jangid, Professor, Jindal School of International Affairs (JSIA) and Director, Jindal Centre for Israel Studies (JCIS), O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India.
Summary
US President Joe Biden is facing one of his toughest challenges with regard to the Israel-Hamas war — to persuade Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to find a political solution to the conflict.
Against the impending background of his re-match with Donald Trump, Biden may be worried that Hamas may not be willing to release the remaining hostages in return for a limited ceasefire — Netanyahu seems set on continuing the war and ignoring the principle of a two-state solution. Hamas has committed terrorism, while Netanyahu is fighting for political survival.
Biden began to distance himself from Netanyahu long before the Israel-Hamas war. During the year-long democratic movement against Netanyahu’s judicial “reforms”, Biden made no secret of the fact that he was with the protest movement and demanded that Israel retain an independent judiciary and democratic system. He also seems to take issue with Netanyahu’s far-right government’s desire to annex the West Bank rather than allow a future Palestinian state. He refused to invite Netanyahu to the White House to convey his dismay in 2023. The Hamas terror attack on civilians brought Biden to Israel, where he stood next to Netanyahu, and assured that the US would help Israel strategically and politically in the fight against Hamas. His solidarity moved Israelis, even though they knew he was against the current far-right government.
Published in: The Indian Express
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