- Home
- War in the Middle East
- US-Israel Relations Under Strain Over Gaza
©(AFP)
Despite an apparent alliance, Washington and Tel Aviv are increasingly struggling to conceal their differences in public. While the Biden administration insists on de-escalating tensions on a regional level, the Netanyahu government prefers to forge ahead.
President Joe Biden and his officials are becoming increasingly frustrated with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right coalition for not responding to the US requests.
Signs of tension between the United States and Israel are continuing to grow, with reports suggesting that US President Joe Biden is "running out" of patience with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The friction is reportedly serious, as one US news outlet quoted several US officials with direct knowledge of the issue saying that the two leaders have not spoken to each other since December 20, when Biden abruptly ended their phone call with the words, "this conversation is over."
Biden and other senior US officials are reportedly becoming increasingly frustrated with Netanyahu and his far-right government coalition for not responding positively to the Biden Administration's recent requests over the war in the Gaza Strip.
This became obvious after Secretary of State Antony Blinken's most recent visit to the region.
A US State Department official told The Media Line that the US is trying to portray a positive image and maintain public support for Israel. The White House is furious with Netanyahu, calling him 'unappreciative' of Biden's efforts and unconditional support.
The Biden Administration recently requested that Israel commit to a timetable and transition from its "high-intensity" military operation in Gaza to a "low-intensity" one.
Biden also requested that Israel release the Palestinian tax revenues it is withholding. Netanyahu had rejected this, caving into the demands of far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who is against the move.
In addition to the tax revenue issue, the White House believes that Israel is not doing enough to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Washington is also disappointed by Netanyahu's unwillingness to seriously discuss post-war plans. Biden supports the idea of a revitalized Palestinian Authority playing a role in Gaza, while Netanyahu opposes this.
'We See Things Differently'
"We obviously see things differently," said John Kirby, the spokesperson for the National Security Council, on December 18, responding to Netanyahu's rejection of US solicitations.
Netanyahu stated that Israel must have full control of security throughout the territory west of the Jordan River, asserting that it is "a necessary condition" that contradicts the idea of Palestinian sovereignty. He had previously specified that he had conveyed this directly to the Americans.
On January 17, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also reiterated his call to find a "path to a Palestinian state," emphasizing that "true security will be impossible without it."
During his recent trip to the Middle East, the Secretary of State argued with Israeli authorities that Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, have "committed" to assisting in the reconstruction of Gaza and future Palestinian governance. This step comes on the condition that Israel paves a tangible path to a Palestinian state, Blinken added.
Blinken also indicated that Arab leaders, led by Saudi Arabia, were in favor of normalizing relations with Israel. However, a prerequisite for this would be an end to the conflict in Gaza and a concrete path to a Palestinian state.
President Joe Biden and his officials are becoming increasingly frustrated with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right coalition for not responding to the US requests.
Signs of tension between the United States and Israel are continuing to grow, with reports suggesting that US President Joe Biden is "running out" of patience with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
American Frustration
The friction is reportedly serious, as one US news outlet quoted several US officials with direct knowledge of the issue saying that the two leaders have not spoken to each other since December 20, when Biden abruptly ended their phone call with the words, "this conversation is over."
Biden and other senior US officials are reportedly becoming increasingly frustrated with Netanyahu and his far-right government coalition for not responding positively to the Biden Administration's recent requests over the war in the Gaza Strip.
This became obvious after Secretary of State Antony Blinken's most recent visit to the region.
A US State Department official told The Media Line that the US is trying to portray a positive image and maintain public support for Israel. The White House is furious with Netanyahu, calling him 'unappreciative' of Biden's efforts and unconditional support.
The Biden Administration recently requested that Israel commit to a timetable and transition from its "high-intensity" military operation in Gaza to a "low-intensity" one.
Biden also requested that Israel release the Palestinian tax revenues it is withholding. Netanyahu had rejected this, caving into the demands of far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who is against the move.
In addition to the tax revenue issue, the White House believes that Israel is not doing enough to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Washington is also disappointed by Netanyahu's unwillingness to seriously discuss post-war plans. Biden supports the idea of a revitalized Palestinian Authority playing a role in Gaza, while Netanyahu opposes this.
'We See Things Differently'
"We obviously see things differently," said John Kirby, the spokesperson for the National Security Council, on December 18, responding to Netanyahu's rejection of US solicitations.
Netanyahu stated that Israel must have full control of security throughout the territory west of the Jordan River, asserting that it is "a necessary condition" that contradicts the idea of Palestinian sovereignty. He had previously specified that he had conveyed this directly to the Americans.
On January 17, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also reiterated his call to find a "path to a Palestinian state," emphasizing that "true security will be impossible without it."
Arabs still 'Committed'
During his recent trip to the Middle East, the Secretary of State argued with Israeli authorities that Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, have "committed" to assisting in the reconstruction of Gaza and future Palestinian governance. This step comes on the condition that Israel paves a tangible path to a Palestinian state, Blinken added.
Blinken also indicated that Arab leaders, led by Saudi Arabia, were in favor of normalizing relations with Israel. However, a prerequisite for this would be an end to the conflict in Gaza and a concrete path to a Palestinian state.
Read more
Comments