Years in the Making: The Unraveling Ties Between Netanyahu, Biden, and the Democrats

In tracing back the discord between former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Joe Biden along with the Democrats, it becomes clear that their divergence was not a sudden occurrence. The undercurrent of their split had been subtly but steadily brewing for years. To fully comprehend the depth and intricacy of their relationship, it’s valuable to look back at their intertwined political trajectories. Netanyahu, a prominent face in Israeli politics since the 90s, has stood as a staunch advocate for a conservative, nationalistic Israel. On the other hand, Biden, who spent majority of his political career in the Senate before becoming Vice President and eventually President, has always embodied a more liberal, internationalist stance. One of the significant points of contention between the two involved geopolitical tensions. Netanyahu took issue with the Iran nuclear deal, negotiated by the Obama administration, of which Biden was a critical part. The deal, which aimed at restricting Iran’s nuclear efforts in return for lifting economic sanctions, was seen by Netanyahu as a threat to Israel’s security. Netanyahu took a rare step of publicly criticizing the deal, further straining relations with the Democratic administration. Another point of conflict was centered on matters pertaining to the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Biden and the Democrats favored a two-state solution, thus supporting Palestinian self-determination alongside a secure Israel. However, Netanyahu’s position swayed towards a more conservative stance, prioritizing Israel’s security concerns above Palestinian statehood. His actions, such as escalating settlement activity in the West Bank, were seen as direct defiance to the Democratic administration’s Middle East policy. Divergent viewpoints on foreign policies were, however, not the only factors contributing to their split. Vastly different political ideologies and positioning caused a schism too. Netanyahu’s more pronounced alignment with the Republicans, particularly during the Trump era, widened the rift. His close ties with former President Donald Trump, who held substantially different values and international policies compared to previous Democratic administrations, significantly tarnished his relationship with the Democrats, including Biden. Moreover, Netanyahu’s nationalistic politics and rejection of liberal ideologies sat oddly with Democrats, including Biden. His domestic manoeuvres, predominantly influenced by a conservative base, reinforced by ultra-orthodox Jewish communities, and focusing on divisive identity politics did not align well with Democratic values. Finally, personal undercurrents cannot be overlooked between Netanyahu and Biden. Frequent instances of Netanyahu undermining or sidestepping Obama with Biden as Vice President left scars. Furthermore, Netanyahu’s warm relations with Biden’s political rivals only added fuel to the fire. To conclude, the split between Netanyahu and Biden, along with the wider Democrats, was undeniably years in the making. Their divergence was sustained by many factors, from differing perspectives on international policy and ideological discord to personal undercurrents. This fraught relationship underscores the complex web of international politics and how domestic policies can fundamentally influence geopolitical relationships.