Washington: Agencies
The American New York Times reported that, with his visit to Washington this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is moving away from one political spiral to another. He is facing anger at home over the long war in Gaza and the failure to return detainees in the Strip, while Washington is divided over the behavior adopted by Israel. In the war and its treatment of the Palestinians.
The newspaper said - in an analysis of this visit that it reported on its website today - that “the United States government and the entire country are now preoccupied with the political turmoil related to President Biden’s withdrawal over the weekend from the presidential race.”
The newspaper added that this was not at all what Netanyahu had in mind when he planned his first visit to Washington in nearly four years, and he is supposed to meet face-to-face with Biden, although it is unclear when that will happen, and this comes amid... It is also expected that Netanyahu will meet Vice President Kamala Harris, who appears to be the Democratic Party's presidential nominee. Netanyahu is scheduled to deliver a speech before Congress tomorrow, Wednesday, in the hope of rallying support in the face of growing international criticism over the war in Gaza.
The newspaper quoted Netanyahu as saying - in statements shortly before his departure from Israel last night -: “I will seek to consolidate partisan support, which is very important for Israel.” “In this time of war and uncertainty, it is crucial for Israel’s enemies to know that America and Israel stand together today, tomorrow, and always.”
The New York Times indicated that the timing may be complicated for the Israeli Prime Minister, but it is also important to ensure Biden’s support for the remaining months of the president’s term, even with the increasing tension that has erupted in their relationship recently, with their goals in the Middle East varying to some extent.
The newspaper saw that Netanyahu also aims to restore his image on the world stage - at least for his fans in Israel, where he is waging an ongoing battle for his political survival. However, some political analysts pointed out that he was the only person who still attached any importance to his visit to the United States.
The newspaper quoted Mitchell Barak, an Israeli pollster and analyst who worked as an aide to Netanyahu in the 1990s, as saying in reference to the unrest in the United States: “In less than 10 days, there was an assassination attempt on a president and another withdrew from the race,” and “This is not the right time for America.” Or to Israel.
The newspaper explained that when Netanyahu delivers a speech before a joint session of Congress tomorrow, Wednesday, some of his strongest allies will sit alongside his fierce critics.
For his part, Chuck Schumer, Democrat from New York and Senate Majority Leader, strongly criticized Netanyahu and called on him to step down this year, but he joined the request to deliver a speech before Congress, saying that America's relationship with Israel "goes beyond one person or prime minister."
However, Netanyahu's visit - which comes at a time when Harris has pledged to do everything in her power to unite her party and the nation - may only expose more cracks and divisions and some Democrats may boycott the speech or try to disrupt it, according to the newspaper.
The newspaper noted that Harris has been more critical of Israel than Biden at times since Israel began its military attack on Gaza in response to the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.
The Vice President refused to chair the joint session of Congress tomorrow, and one of her aides indicated a scheduling conflict, adding that her absence should not be interpreted as a change in her commitment to Israel’s security, and that she will meet Netanyahu this week at the White House.