President Biden’s visit to Israel and the message it conveyed held greater significance than any concrete objectives he accomplished.
President Biden faced numerous challenges during his recent trip to demonstrate support for Israel. Even before landing in Ben Gurion Airport, several allied Arab leaders refused to meet with him. While he secured a limited agreement from Israel to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, there were no guarantees that Israel would respond to the Hamas terrorist attack with the care he requested. He also provided a modest aid package for Gaza and the West Bank, but more significant aid depends on congressional action, which is currently stalled.
Within two hours of his departure from Israel, rocket and shell fire resumed from Gaza and Lebanon. Despite these difficulties, the trip had value, highlighting the United States’ role in defusing international crises and safeguarding democracies. This was especially crucial given the dysfunction on display in Washington, where Republicans failed to elect a speaker, pass spending bills, and military aid packages, illustrating legislative disarray.
In the Senate, a single Republican member opposed military officer promotions over abortion concerns, hindering the use of American military expertise worldwide. Jack Lew, a strong supporter of Israel, faced opposition to his ambassadorial nomination due to his involvement in the Iran nuclear deal during the Obama administration.
The contrast is stark, with an increasingly isolationist Republican Party disengaging from the world and impeding support for Ukraine and Israel. Robert Gates, former defense secretary, labeled the United States a “dysfunctional superpower,” citing growing isolationism and domestic disarray as evidence of decline. Dysfunctional foreign policy invites risky moves by autocrats.
Also Read : How Much More Must the Children of Gaza Suffer?
President Biden’s trip demonstrated his commitment to an interventionist foreign policy when necessary to counter aggression and terrorism. However, leaders from Jordan, Egypt, and the Palestinian Authority took Hamas’s claims at face value, complicating diplomatic efforts. Israel will remember Biden’s personal presence, and his re-election campaign may highlight his steadiness and comforting words.
The broader audience, though, includes countries uncertain about the United States’ reliability after former President Trump strained alliances. China and Russia capitalize on this uncertainty, aided by Republican Party governance hesitancy. If President Biden must risk personal involvement to demonstrate an alternative path, it’s a risk worth taking. The turbulence may continue before the skies clear.
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