President Biden, perhaps the most emotionally pro-Zionist president in history, last week used his immense reserve of goodwill and credibility on Israel to do something no other president had: He laid down strong conditions on use of military aid. However, he deftly did not single out Israel for special treatment.
No one should underestimate the impact of the decision. The Associated Press explained, “Democratic senators on Friday called Biden’s directive — meant to bring breadth, oversight, deadlines and teeth to efforts to ensure foreign governments don’t use U.S. military aid against civilians — historic.”
To be certain, this marks a victory for progressives in the Democratic Party, who promptly praised the move. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who, along with Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), had vigorously urged the administration to act, called it a “sea change.” Biden’s decision helped ensure unanimous Democratic support to advance a Ukraine-Israel aid bill on Sunday.
However, unlike the calls to single out Israel, Biden’s directive applies equally to all countries receiving aid. Biden plainly wants no part of the insidious double standard some want to apply to Israel. The White House argued that the executive order simply confirms existing U.S. policy; however, the symbolic value is profound. At a time when his stalwart support of Israel’s right to defend itself comes under fire from Hamas apologists, Biden maintains the difficult balance between supporting Israel in its existential war against Hamas and focusing on the plight of Palestinian civilians and a two-state solution.
That the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, better known as AIPAC, breathlessly criticized the move to ensure human rights obligations for all countries speaks to how out far the pro-Israel group has drifted from American and American Jewish opinion. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s view that he can act with impunity is not shared by most Americans — or even many Israelis, who have been strenuously protesting his handling of the war.
Meanwhile, left-leaning J Street praised the decision. “J Street has for years called for greater oversight and accountability over arms and materiel provided by the United States to other countries, including Israel. American assistance — even to our closest allies — must not be provided in the form of a blank check,” J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami told Jewish Insider. “This memorandum also confirms America’s commitment to ensuring that its partners and allies do not restrict or impede the transport or delivery of humanitarian assistance.”
Biden also pressed on with intense one-on-one diplomacy. After his comment on Thursday evening that Israel had been “over the top” in Gaza, Biden engaged with Netanyahu on Sunday in a 45-minute conversation — unusually long by most diplomatic standards (and even more so given that no time had to be spent on translation with English-fluent Netanyahu). According to the White House readout, Biden insisted Israel make “credible” arrangements to protect civilians before launching a widely criticized military plan for Rafah, where civilian causalities could mount. He also pressed Netanyahu again to increase humanitarian aid to the Palestinians.
Biden’s patient approach with Netanyahu over months has gradually transformed into a private and public pressure campaign. A Biden official told The Post that the leaders had “a pretty detailed back and forth on that.” The official reiterated: “The United States would not support such an operation unless Israel has a plan for civilian protection and sustenance.”
A potential cease-fire deal remains in the offing, thanks to the intervention and persistence of CIA Director William J. Burns, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Middle East envoy Brett McGurk and other Biden administration officials. If a cease-fire (partial or final) pans out, hopefully soon enough to save the remaining hostages, it will be because Biden successfully managed to be the president most supportive of Israel and most effective at delivering “tough love.” Both are essential to the U.S.-Israel relationship and, ultimately, Israel’s survival.
Despite domestic criticism from right and left on the Hamas war, Biden seems to have found the sweet spot that leaves him with continued influence over Israel and in good standing with the Israeli people and the opposition government that is likely to follow Netanyahu’s eventual ouster. Experience in foreign policy does indeed yield benefits.
