Just Because Biden Isn't Announcing It From the Truman Balcony Doesn't Mean He Isn't Negotiating a Cease Fire
While we may not agree with the approach, we must respect the fact that, especially when it comes to the Middle East, diplomacy and strategy are necessary, not ostentation to appease a base.
Joe Biden is not a bombastic leader, and confronted with a media structure requiring bombast to feed its insatiable appetite for ratings, this is a perceived weakness.
So it’s no surprise the narrative since the terror group Hamas’ attack on Israel on October fourth has been stubbornly obsessed with President Biden’s failure to utter the shibboleth “cease fire”.
American foreign policy toward the Middle East, particularly Israel, is complicated, to put it mildly. For months the conundrum has been the president’s consternation over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s indiscriminate assault on Gaza while the United States continues supplying Israel materiel to perpetuate it.
Even if Biden had publicly called for a cease fire, Netanyahu would likely have ignored it, as the Israeli prime minister fights to keep himself out of prison for his own corruption. Over seven decades of “unconditional support” cannot be halted with two words nor immediately, lest it destabilize the region and--pardon the pun — blow up in our face.
But last week there was a turning point.
Biden’s behind-the-scenes negotiations have allowed the president an opportunity to take a hard line with Israel: Take “a series of specific, concrete and measurable steps” to address deaths of civilians and aid workers, or risk a reconsideration of US foreign policy toward Israel.
A statement from the White House explained:
He [Biden] made clear that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps. He underscored that an immediate ceasefire is essential to stabilize and improve the humanitarian situation and protect innocent civilians, and he urged the prime minister to empower his negotiators to conclude a deal without delay to bring the hostages home.
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters:
The president made clear that absent changes in the protection of civilians on the ground, absent changes to the volume of humanitarian assistance getting in, absent any movement on a cease-fire that will allow hostages to get out and more aid to get in — absent a calming-down — that he will have to reconsider his own policy choices with respect to Gaza.
Days later, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) withdrew its ground troops from southern Gaza for “tactical reasons”, and cease-fire talk resume.
In an interview in which he characterized Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach to the conflict as a “mistake”, President Biden stated:
What I’m calling for is for the Israelis to just call for a ceasefire, allow for the next six, eight weeks total access to all food and medicine going into the country. I’ve spoken with everyone from the Saudis to the Jordanians to the Egyptians. They’re prepared to move in. They’re prepared to move this food in. And I think there’s no excuse to not provide for the medical and the food needs of those people. It should be done now.
On the cusp of another international conflict, this time with Iran, Israel cannot jeopardize American support.
Over the past week, the U.S. military has moved aircraft and ballistic missile defense destroyers to the region, which helping Israel shoot down almost all incoming drones and missiles from Iran, Yemen, Syria, and Iraq.
During a Saturday call with Netanyahu, President Biden explained the United States will not support an Israeli counterstrike against Iran, stating, “You got a win. Take the win.”
In a statement after the call, Biden explained:
My team will engage with their counterparts across the region. And we will stay in close touch with Israel’s leaders. And while we have not seen attacks on our forces or facilities today, we will remain vigilant to all threats and will not hesitate to take all necessary action to protect our people.
Joe Biden is a quiet, contemplative politician with fifty years of foreign policy and procedural experience. While we may not agree with his approach, we must respect the fact that, especially when it comes to the Middle East, diplomacy and strategy are necessary, not arrogance and ostentation to appease a base.