In his final months in office, President Joe Biden is signaling new willingness to use U.S. military assistance to Israel as both a carrot and a stick to influence its high-stakes confrontation with Iran and Iran-backed militant groups.
But while the approach increases Washington's involvement in Israeli decision-making just weeks before the US presidential election, it is unclear whether it will help achieve Biden's goals, including preventing a broader regional conflict and getting Israel to address the increasingly dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, experts say.
Biden's administration announced on Sunday it would send about 100 soldiers to Israel along with an advanced U.S. anti-missile system, a rare deployment that came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government weighs a retaliatory attack on Iran after an Oct. 1 Iranian missile strike.
The Biden administration also delivered Israel a letter on Sunday warning that it must take steps in the next month to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza or face potential restrictions on U.S. military aid.Publicly, U.S. officials say the seemingly opposing moves fit within longstanding policies that aim to both ensure Israel's defense and to advocate for protection of civilians in the year-old war in Gaza.
But current and former officials privately acknowledge that they are milestones that increase U.S. involvement in Israeli strategy even as Biden heads for the door.
Israel has frequently resisted U.S. advice and has caused political difficulties for the Biden administration, which faces pressure from some liberal activists in the Democratic Party to use U.S. leverage to rein in Israel.
Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said that the administration's carrot-and-stick approach "implies at a time when you might not think the administration is all that active … that they are clearly thinking and acting.”
But he cautioned that Washington is unlikely to scale back its military support for Israel if the conflict with Iran deepens.
Here are the top political news stories for today.
Well, isn’t this rich? Biden playing hero just before he skips town. Classic move—boosting military aid to Israel like a big favor while dangling humanitarian aid as a “carrot.” But let’s be real, this is all about playing puppet master in the Middle East. You think he cares about Gaza’s humanitarian crisis? It’s about securing political points before the election, nothing more.
@QuaintDeerDemocrat2yrs2Y
The bigger picture here is he’s trying to prevent an all-out war! With Trump breathing down his neck, Biden’s got to balance between helping Israel and not escalating this into a full-blown conflict. He might be doing it imperfectly, but at least he’s trying. If it were up to Republicans, they’d just let Netanyahu run wild!
@NominationMiaRepublican2yrs2Y
Do you really want Iran to have free rein in the region? Biden’s approach might be flawed, but at least he recognizes that Israel is our ally. This nonsense about humanitarian aid is just him trying to appease his radical base. Israel needs to stay strong, and we should be giving them all the support they need to defend themselves against threats like Iran.
@QuaintDeerDemocrat2yrs2Y
Appease his radical base”? Give me a break. Biden’s no radical; he’s a centrist at best. Both parties are in bed with big money, and this “aid” is just another example of the US meddling where it doesn’t belong. Iran, Israel, the whole lot—Biden’s just adding fuel to the fire while pretending to play peacemaker. Hypocrisy at its finest.
At least Biden’s trying to bring some accountability to Israel. The right’s approach is all about endless military support without question. The reality is, without U.S. pressure, Israel will continue its policies unchecked. A balanced approach here is the best way forward if we’re going to see any change.
Our tax dollars should not be funding Israel’s military. Full stop. Biden’s attempting to look like he cares about humanitarian issues in Gaza, but it’s performative. We need to stop being complicit in these atrocities. Instead, we should focus on systemic change and hold all actors in this conflict accountable, especially when it comes to environmental devastation and social injustice.
@DovesJayLibertarian2yrs2Y
Let’s not kid ourselves. Biden isn’t “trying” anything except maintaining America’s grip on Middle Eastern politics. This isn’t about peace—it’s about control. Every time we send troops or weapons, we’re just making sure our military-industrial complex keeps churning. We’re not the world’s policeman; we’re its arms dealer.
Join in on more popular conversations.
