Netanyahu a pariah in Washington? That's a crisis for Israel - analysis

• Published date: 14 March 2024
• Author: TOVAH LAZAROFF
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

First, there was the "hot mic" moment last week in which Biden, in an incident that many thought was scripted, was heard telling politicians that he wanted to have a "come to Jesus meeting" with Netanyahu

That was followed by Biden's attack on Netanyahu on Sunday, when during an interview with MSNBC he said the Israeli Prime Minister "is hurting Israel more than helping Israel... it is contrary to what Israel stands for, and I think it's a big mistake."

On Monday a US Intelligence Assessment report speculated that Netanyahu could be overthrown. In speaking about that report before a Senate committee CIA Director William Burns said, "I worry that Netanyahu's conduct in the war threatens to undermine support for Israel in the long term including in the US."

A senior Israeli official responded by accusing the Biden admiration of attempting to overthrow Netanyahu's government.

On Thursday, in a prolonged speech before the Senate, its Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called for new elections to replace Netanyahu charging that he was an obstacle to peace and arguing that he and his "extremist government" cannot remain in place once the war winds down.

He even appeared to hint at conditioning military aid, a sentiment once expressed only by politicians on the left-wing flank of the Democratic Party, such as Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT).

It was a speech that vastly expanded the narrative to one that extended beyond Netanyahu and Biden, to include the entire Democratic Party.

That Schumer is the highest-ranking Jewish politician, a centrist within the party, and an avid Israel supporter, made the blow even harsher.

Israeli outcry falls flat

Israeli politicians were quick to decry US interference in the democracy of one of its closest allies, a tried and true refrain used for such moments.

It fell someone flat, however, in light of the impact Israel's policies are having both on antisemitism in the US and the upcoming US Presidential elections.

One could see Schumer's speech within the context of US domestic politics, as a sign of how nervous the Democratic Party is about retaining the White House in November and the impact the Gaza war could have on Biden's reelection chances versus his adversary, former US president Donald Trump.

One could even see it as the start of the Democratic messaging, now that Trump and Biden this week...