Nimrod Novick: Joe Biden has long demonstrated strong support for Israel. Recently, he related a story of meeting Golda Meir in 1973 which had an enormously profound effect on him.
Biden has long championed Israel’s right to defend itself and has successfully persuaded Congress to send 14 billion in military aid for Israel from the US ally, while also making attempts to reach out to Muslim and Arab American voters.
Why Biden Supports Israel
Joe Biden knows Israel inside out, having spent much of his childhood listening to his father lament how the world allowed Hitler’s rise and subsequent massacre of six million Jews without intervening or speaking out against it. That legacy informed his own worldview; one that has guided his political career and will likely remain his focal point as President.
Biden’s worldview asserts that we are at an inflection point, with dangerous autocrats threatening international norms forged over decades, which have allowed nations to make progress toward peace and democracy. To counteract such forces, he asserts that America must rebuild alliances, push aggressive expansionist autocrats back, and demonstrate to America’s allies that they can count on America.
Biden has stood firmly by Israel throughout this entire ordeal despite Palestinian suffering in Gaza, dismay among progressive voters, and young Americans who feel betrayed.
Last month, President Obama made one of his most high-profile speeches regarding this conflict when he strongly condemned Hamas’s “act of sheer evil” and made it clear that America stands behind Israel. Standing beside an image of Abraham Lincoln, Vice President Joe Biden delivered one of his most stirring addresses as president – which helped ease concerns that his administration might be soft on Israel.
Biden’s firm support of Israel hasn’t made much difference in Gaza, where death toll continues to soar and several American citizens remain held prisoner by Israeli authorities. His advisers and he counsel Israel to reduce its bombing, yet results have been mixed.
Critics believe Biden must alter his course if he hopes to win support from Arab-Americans, younger Democratic voters and others who feel alienated by Israel. Their support has only compounded Palestinian suffering while undermining US security interests, they contend.
Biden’s Allegiance to Israel
Biden’s attachment to Israel stems from his family legacy. Born three years before World War II’s end and six before Israel’s founding in 1948, his father instilled within him an appreciation of moral justification in creating a Jewish homeland in 1948.
That core value has guided him throughout his decades in public life, even as progressives urged the Democratic Party to distance itself from Israel and criticize its occupation of Palestinian land.
His commitment will likely be put to the test in coming weeks if Israel launches an aggressive military offensive in Gaza that results in civilian casualties, as he may urge Prime Minister Netanyahu to follow “rules of war” and limit civilian deaths; an act which could put strain on their relationship.
Personal relationships between President Trump and Israel have long been a cornerstone of his decision-making, according to those close to him. They indicate that his goal is to ensure the US remains Israel’s strongest ally, as well as view this issue as crucially important for American Jews and the Jewish community at large.
While he remains popular in Israel, whether his staunch support for Israel will damage him among Democrats remains in flux. Although his personal popularity remains strong, recent polling by Marist College discovered that when discussing conflict-related topics his approval rating drops slightly among US-based voters; more specifically among Black and Hispanic voters who make up an integral part of Democratic voting bases.
If those skeptical of his support for Israel abandon him in 2024, it could compromise his re-election chances and prove catastrophic for him. A significant loss of support among young voters who were previously most critical could prove disastrous to his campaign.
Biden’s Approval Rating
Biden, who hails from a state with few Jews, has long been deeply committed to Israel’s security. His devotion was cemented through dinner table discussions about the Holocaust with his father and stories from family friends who endured death camps – for him it is an issue of morality that Israel exists at all.
While Americans support Israel’s response to Hamas rocket fire, Biden is losing support as his approval rating plummets from 34% in September and July to just 34% now, according to Monmouth polling.
Democrats have raised concerns that the Obama administration is giving too much leeway to Netanyahu’s government. A senior administration official reported this week that in conversation about Israel, Biden playfully slapped an aide’s arm and asked, “Who’s wrong now?”
However, whether this will be enough to stop Israel’s assault on Gaza remains to be seen. Scores of civilians remain trapped in its crossfire – eight American citizens among them – while several members of Congress have demanded that President Obama put pressure on Israel to reconsider their approach; as of Friday no concrete steps had been taken by administration officials or taken against Israel to do so.
One concern is that as time goes on since the initial attack, Israel’s military operations become more excessive and even brutal in perception. US officials and Israelis privately tell Reuters that Biden’s team has expressed this worry to Israel as well, encouraging it to reduce speed.
But voters are becoming increasingly discontent with the US response to this conflict, particularly among left-center Democrats. A joint poll conducted by NPR, PBS NewsHour and Marist found that 56 percent of Democrats believe the US is doing too little to pressure Israel – an increase of 21 points compared to their prior poll from one month prior; it marks the highest percentage ever to hold this view on how their administration approaches conflicts like this one.
Biden’s Policy in the Middle East
As the conflict in Gaza has progressed, some of Biden’s advisers have privately expressed concerns that his public statements of unwavering support for Israel could backfire and cost him politically. Some have advised Biden to make clear he expects Israel to follow international humanitarian law and refrain from targeting civilians in Gaza and stop using rockets and tunnels against Israeli targets. They stress the fact that America provides over $3 billion annually in military aid to Israel – something it should not appear willing to deny it.
Others, however, fear Biden’s position will turn off voters who might otherwise support him. According to them, Biden must aim at winning as broad a Democratic coalition as possible with his statements; otherwise, he risks alienating Arab-Americans, progressives and younger voters dismayed by his unwavering backing for Israel.
Biden and his senior advisers do not appear willing to reconsider their approach; they seem intent on undoing Trump’s legacy by hiring individuals with more leftist worldviews for key foreign policy posts, and by continuing recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and placing their embassy there.
However, this strategy resembles that of Obama administration before it. At its core lies a strategic competition with China as seen as a threat to regional dominance – which explains why Saudi-Israeli security pact signing, and “Arab-Israeli normalization” promotion are part of this approach to surround China.
Middle Eastern politics remains volatile; four of its most populous nations are embroiled in civil conflict and Lebanon is experiencing one of its worst economic crises ever. Thus, this region would hardly be an appropriate venue for a US president to play favorites with allies and adversaries alike.
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