During Joe Biden’s vice-presidency, then-President Obama presided over a policy of realignment with Iran in the Middle East and establishing “daylight” between the U.S. and Israel. Jonathan Tobin considers to what extent Biden is likely to differ from both the Obama and Trump administrations:
Biden’s support for Israel has always been conditioned by his insistence that he knew better than the Jewish state’s leaders what was best for their country. As infuriating as that can be, it’s also true that he has a warmer feeling for the country than Obama ever did.
Even if Biden were so foolish as to waste precious political capital on policies predicated on pointless demands that Israel surrender its rights and security (as Obama did), or on another round of appeasement of Iran, Israel doesn’t have to bow to U.S. pressure. As Benjamin Netanyahu proved during the eight rocky years of the Obama administration, Israel can always say “no” to the United States any time it believes that it must defend its interests against misguided American policymakers.
The alliances with the Arab states that have been forged with Trump’s help will become stronger, not weaker, if Biden were to choose policies that would strengthen Iran. The Arab states that have embraced Israel have not done so as an act of charity or out of a sentimental attachment to Zionism; they did it to strengthen their security. And if Biden repeats Obama’s mistakes in the Mideast, they will need Israel as much if not more than ever.
Read more on JNS: https://www.jns.org/opinion/what-a-biden-administration-could-mean-for-israel/