Netanyahu’s Address Highlights Growing Partisan Divide on Israel

4 months ago

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a associated convention of nan U.S. Congress yesterday successful a reside focused connected defending Israel’s subject run successful Gaza. Netanyahu framed nan warfare pinch Hamas arsenic a proxy conflict pinch Iran, arguing it was basal to protect some Israel and nan United States, while making almost nary mention of nan toll nan conflict has taken connected Palestinian civilians successful Gaza, tens of thousands of whom person been killed successful nan astir 10-month-long war. (New York Times)

Our Take

Netanyahu’s reside yesterday is nan starkest illustration yet of a inclination that has been increasing for much than a decade nether 3 successive presidents: support for Israel arsenic a partisan rumor successful nan United States. That was demonstrated by nan truth that only astir half of nan Democratic members of Congress attended his reside yesterday, pinch immoderate openly boycotting.

Polls besides show a increasing partisan disagreement among voters, pinch nan Democratic Party’s progressive near helping peculiarly exercised astir nan humanitarian effect of nan warfare successful Gaza—and U.S. complicity successful it arsenic an progressive supplier of nan weaponry Israel is utilizing there—but besides nan Israeli business of nan West Bank and Netanyahu’s intransigence pinch respect to pursuing nan two-state solution to nan Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Since nan warfare successful Gaza began, Republicans person exploited this increasing disagreement for their ain gain, framing themselves and their statement arsenic nan only “true” supporters of Israel. Of course, plentifulness of Democrats still staunchly support Israel arsenic well. The Democratic leaders successful some nan House and Senate joined nan missive inviting Netanyahu to reside Congress, and half nan Democratic members did be and applaud nan speech. Support for Israel remains beardown among galore American Jews, historically a loyal Democratic voting bloc. And galore very powerful Democratic donors and lobby groups proceed to push nan statement to stay staunchly pro-Israel.

But that is successful portion why Republicans person sought to make this a partisan issue, since doing truthful highlights and exacerbates nan increasing divisions among Democrats. Those divisions person forced galore Democratic leaders to locomotion a tightrope of maintaining support for Israel while condemning Netanyahu and expressing capable sympathy for nan suffering of Palestinian civilians. That’s besides why nan stance of VP Kamala Harris, now nan presumptive statesmanlike campaigner for nan party, is abruptly nether a microscope, arsenic Frida Ghitis writes today for WPR.

Netanyahu himself has exacerbated these divisions, too, by openly favoring Republican leaders complete Democrats. During their respective times successful office, Netanyahu had a rocky narration pinch erstwhile President Barack Obama and has openly sparred pinch President Joe Biden, but was a adjacent state of erstwhile President Donald Trump.

Still, while exacerbating these tensions pinch nan Democratic Party whitethorn people Netanyahu governmental points pinch his ain guidelines astatine home, it’s improbable to beryllium a smart move for Israel. Even different Israeli leaders who don’t disagree very overmuch from Netanyahu’s stance connected nan warfare successful Gaza aliases nan two-state solution admit nan short-sightedness of alienating 1 of nan 2 awesome governmental parties of Israel’s astir important ally. The much Netanyahu does truthful pinch a Democratic Party whose stance connected Israel is successful flux, nan much harm he is apt to do to U.S.-Israel relations much broadly.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva kicked off an effort to shape a world confederation aimed astatine ending hunger and utmost poorness yesterday. Lula plans to build support for nan confederation successful nan coming months up of nan Brazil-hosted G20 Summit successful November, erstwhile nan inaugural will beryllium officially launched.

Lula has made addressing world hunger nan hallmark of his schedule for Brazil’s G20 presidency, taking initiatives that had been successful for him successful Brazil to nan world stage. But arsenic James Bosworth wrote erstwhile Brazil’s presidency began, Lula’s unrealistic and unnecessary statements connected different world issues, for illustration nan warfare successful Ukraine, could torpedo his G20 agenda.

Brazil's G20 activity schedule was group by President Lula da Silva.

One twelvemonth aft nan subject coup successful Niger, some nan information and economical situations successful nan state person worsened, AP reports. Most world support and improvement is either connected clasp aliases canceled altogether, and attacks by jihadist groups person go much communal successful nan past year.

To nan extracurricular world, nan coup successful Niger past twelvemonth came arsenic a shock, pinch nan state considered to beryllium a comparatively unchangeable outlier successful a region beset by predominant upheaval. But arsenic Chris O. Ògúnmọ́dẹdé wrote astatine nan time, if overseas observers were stunned by nan development, it did not travel arsenic a daze to galore Nigeriens, and not solely because of their country’s history of subject coups.

Foreign ministers from nan Association of Southeast Asian Nations, aliases ASEAN, are gathering coming for 3 days of talks that are expected to attraction chiefly connected nan civilian warfare successful Myanmar and increasing tensions pinch China in nan South China Sea.

Read much astir ASEAN’s ineffective consequence to nan situation successful Myanmar successful this briefing by Joshua Kurlantzick, and why ASEAN seems either unwilling aliases incapable to cheque China’s worst instincts successful this briefing by Richard Heydarian.

Panamanian authorities said yesterday that 10 migrants had drowned while trying to transverse a stream successful nan treacherous Darien Gap, a jungle region that straddles nan country’s separator pinch Colombia. The deaths travel amid an intensified crackdown connected migration successful nan region that began soon aft caller Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino was inaugurated connected July 1. Read much successful this briefing by Cristina Guevara.