The US president has squandered his leverage over Netanyahu even as the Israeli leader continues to undermine him
Since Hamas attacked southern Israel in October 2023, Joe Biden has shown nearly absolute support for Israel and its leaders. His administration has sent hundreds of weapons shipments that have enabled the Israeli military to sustain its brutal war on Gaza; used US veto power at the UN security council to block multiple resolutions demanding a ceasefire; and undermined the legitimacy of both the international court of justice and the international criminal court because of their criticisms of Israeli actions. Biden has been willing to destroy the façade of an international rules-based order to protect Israel and the extremist government of its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
You would think that Netanyahu would show deep gratitude to an ally like Biden who demonstrates such unconditional backing for nearly nine months, often acting against his own and larger US interests. Instead, Netanyahu has consistently ignored and defied Israel’s most important ally – and paid no price for it. Now the Israeli premier is openly mocking Biden and his administration: on 18 June, Netanyahu released an English-language video claiming the US was withholding weapons that Israel needs to continue its war. On 23 June, Netanyahu continued venting his contempt of Biden and overall US support, telling the Israeli cabinet that the Biden administration has dramatically decreased arms supplies in recent months.
Mohamad Bazzi is director of the Hagop Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies, and a journalism professor at New York University