By John J. Mearsheimer
Aug 6, 2024
There is abundant evidence that Israel is pursuing policies that are directly at odds with the Biden administration’s goals in the Middle East.
First, the Biden administration desperately wants a ceasefire in Gaza. The Netanyahu government, however, is committed to making sure the negotiations for a ceasefire fail, which they have so far.
Second, the Biden administration wants Israel to come up with a plan for administering Gaza once the shooting stops. The Netanyahu government, however, refuses to do so.
Third, the Biden administration wants to move toward a two-state solution to put an end to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. The Netanyahu government, however, explicitly rejects that idea and offers no alternative solution to the conflict.
Fourth, the Biden administration wants to avoid a war with Iran. The Netanyahu government, however, has twice tried to drag the United States into war with Iran. The first instance was on 1 April 2024, when the IDF attacked the Iranian embassy in Damascus. The second instance was on 31 July 2024, when Israel assassinated Ismail Haniyeh, who was in Tehran on an official visit.
Fifth, the Biden administration seeks to avoid a widening conflict between Lebanese Hezbollah and Israel, fearing the situation could escalate into a regional war and the United States might be dragged into the fight. The Netanyahu government, however, wants to provoke a war with Hezbollah.
Sixth, the Biden administration has a deep-seated interest in a stable Middle East. The Netanyahu government, however, seems to be “willing to set the region ablaze,” as one Israeli columnist recently observed.
Given these profound policy differences, given that the United States is profoundly more powerful than Israel, and given that Israel is profoundly dependent on the United States for diplomatic, economic, and military support, one would expect the Biden administration to use this enormous leverage to get Israel to change its behavior so that it is more in line with the American national interest.
But that has not happened.
The Biden administration has instead supported Israel at every turn, while at the same time haplessly protesting what Israel is doing or not doing.
To make matters worse, neither Congress, nor Republican leaders, nor the mainstream media, has pushed the Biden administration to pressure Israel to change its behavior in any meaningful way.
This disturbing situation raises the obvious question: why?
The answer: the awesome power of the Israel lobby.
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