Israelis begin to sour on Biden as US ratchets up pressure over Gaza
The joke making the rounds in Israel’s political circles goes something like this: Everybody knows Joe Biden’s top priority is the two-state solution – the two states being Michigan and Pennsylvania.
The play on President Biden’s insistence that a path to a Palestinian state figure in any “day after” planning following the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza hints at the chafing that some Israelis feel over growing U.S. pressure on its close Middle East ally.
But the joke’s punchline also suggests the mounting dismay over what some here see as Mr. Biden’s political motivations as he faces criticism on his left for his pro-Israel stance – and a daunting electoral map in his reelection bid.
“The U.S. is – we now see Biden is trying to do cheap politics on our backs,” says Hodaya, a Jerusalem resident sharing a sunny park bench with her father recently. “Real Americans love Israel because we share a love for freedom, democracy, and peace. Biden used to be like that,” she adds, “but now he changes because he wants to win again” in November elections.
