7/10/2024–|Last updated: 10/7/202410:04 AM (Mecca time)
Writer Nicholas Kristof believes that the American president Joe Biden He sought peace in the Middle East, but failed to effectively use US influence to bind the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu To stop the escalation in the region.
The New York Times columnist said that Biden had thus become a reason for fueling the war, as he continued to supply Israel with the weapons it used in the attack on Gaza And Lebanon, which it may use in a war with Iran.
It is true that Biden has been… Throughout last year From the war Urges On self-restraint, but his continued supply of weapons to Israel undermined the position and power of the United States, according to the writer.
Kristof attributed his comment to Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen, saying, “We see a clear political failure in the Middle East, and I believe that this is due to the Biden administration’s refusal to use its influence effectively to achieve its goals.”
Van Hollen added, “The problem we face here is a certain pattern of behavior, whereby Netanyahu ignores the United States and is rewarded for that with more weapons.”
Political scientist Ian Bremmer was also quoted as saying, commenting on the position Biden placed himself in when Israel attacked Lebanon, that the president’s influence on the course of matters is “zero.”
In the writer’s opinion, Biden hoped that the conflict would end by the end of 2023, and the president thought that building a close relationship with Netanyahu was the best way to stop the war, neglecting the approach of those who came before him, as he banned almost all American presidents, starting with the 36th president. Lyndon Johnson Withdrew weapons from Israel or threatened to withhold them to put pressure on their ally in a way that suits their interests.
Kristof considered Biden’s policies that led to the spread of the war to Lebanon “a miserable failure on the political and moral levels.” The Israelis are no safer than they were a year ago, the Lebanese and Palestinians are suffering from the effects of the war, and American forces are at risk in their bases in the Middle East.The Houthis They threaten the movement of ships, there is no peace on the horizon, and another war may break out with Iran, and despite all of this, Biden continues to adhere to his position.
Internal and external threats
The writer pointed out that the current administration's policies may reduce the candidate's chances Democracy And Vice President Kamala Harris In winning the upcoming elections, especially if a war with Iran leads to a rise in oil prices.
On the global level, Kristof believes that Netanyahu’s arrogance harms the interests of the United States. For example, one of Biden’s notable successes was building alliances with East Asian countries to encircle China, but his policy in the Middle East may fail all his efforts, as an opinion poll of the peoples of these countries showed that the Gaza war It is at the top of the list of priorities of these peoples, and if their countries were forced to choose between the United States and China, they would prefer to choose China as an ally.
The writer highlighted the comment of former Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy that the prevailing impression internationally is that Netanyahu ignores the requests of the United States, which weakens its position and may alienate its allies from it.
In this regard, former Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Jan Eliasson, expressed his regret, saying, “It is painful to witness the continued humiliation of the American president and the American government at the hands of Netanyahu.”
The writer concluded his article by asking what President Al-Tayeb, who did not want this war, would say if a 7-year-old Lebanese girl who lost 15 members of her family in an Israeli raid a few days ago asked him, “Why did you spare the bombs that killed my family?”