The soul of America versus the soul of Netanyahu

Chuck Schumer, the American Senate Majority Leader, urged Israelis to hold elections to oust Bibi Netanyahu, signaling a profound disruption in US-Israel relations. Schumer’s impassioned plea reflected concerns about Israel’s future following the October 7th events. However, what truly unnerves American officials is Trump’s looming presence, which casts a shadow over Biden’s presidency.

Netanyahu’s fate hung in the balance that fateful Saturday, as he and Israel’s military leaders teetered on the brink of total paralysis. It was only Biden’s resounding cry – “Don’t!” – that stopped this collapse and gave the nation a chance to regroup, though the trauma remains.

Despite his socioeconomic policies and positive macroeconomic indicators, Biden’s fate hangs in the balance. His firm stance against Putin’s aggression and his support for workers, African Americans, and women do not help his popularity. In contrast, as Donald Trump ramps up his fascist rhetoric, loses ground in legal battles against him, is depicted as a pathological liar, thief, and provocateur, his popularity only rises.

The severe blow suffered by Israel, coupled with its lack of preparation for mentally and militarily handling the magnitude of the disaster caused by Hamas’s attack, compelled Biden to reluctantly enter a destructive and perilous arena. The American president found himself unwittingly starring in a horror movie, depicting unprecedented destruction, death, and starvation, leaving the world horrified and questioning how can a powerful military force like Israel be let to crush a civilian population of refugees who have already lost so much.

In the streets of Israel, the contemptuous slogan “You’re the head, you’re guilty” is directed at Benjamin Netanyahu, who refuses to acknowledge his responsibility for the October 7 massacre. Simultaneously, mass protests are erupting in the streets of New York and numerous cities across the US, with demonstrators labeling Biden as “Genocide Joe.”

Israel is accused of genocide, while Biden is directly blamed for its actions in Gaza. The protesters’ demand that Biden declare an immediate ceasefire implies granting a lifeline to Hamas and giving the green light to advance its plan to establish the Islamic state “from the river to the sea”. The problem is that the protesters are part of Biden’s coalition, and without their support he will struggle to prevail over Trump. The latter’s victory would plunge the US into the abyss. We’ve already seen this movie.

Fate has set the stage for a head-on clash between Biden and Netanyahu, each grappling with an existential dilemma. On one side stands Bibi’s coalition with Ben Gvir and Smotrich, facing off against Biden’s coalition with Bernie Sanders and Rashida Tlaib. These are two opposing coalitions, with the former comprising extreme right-wing elements and the latter including radical leftists and the activist Black Lives Matter movement. Biden is employing every possible tactic to dismantle the partnership between Bibi, Ben Gvir, and Smotrich. He has labeled them undesirable figures, imposed sanctions on settlers, and emphasized to Bibi that their actions and statements are causing significant reputational damage to Israel.

However, Bibi is not yielding. He understands that ending the partnership with Ben Gvir and Smotrich would collapse his government and mark the end of his political career. The confrontation between Bibi and Biden began over a year ago when Minister of Justice Yariv Levin announced the overhaul in Israel’s judiciary and Smotrich called for the wiping out of Huwara. Today, five months after the October 7th onslaught, with Gaza in ruins and images of death and despair broadcasted worldwide, the relationship between the two leaders has deteriorated into a zero-sum game: Bibi or Biden.

It appears that both sides have abandoned restraint. Netanyahu has mustered 100 Knesset members to oppose the idea of a two-state solution, and he is once again mobilizing his base for a direct confrontation with Biden. In doing so, Netanyahu positions himself as the singular leader capable of “standing up to American pressure”; the sole figure capable of preventing the formation of a Palestinian state; and the only one who can lead Israel in “eliminating Hamas.” Those who align with Biden are painted as betrayers, while anyone advocating for immediate elections undermines the prospect of achieving “total victory.” Biden is portrayed as someone who has shifted from ally to adversary. According to the Israeli government’s perspective, Biden is working against Israeli interests due to electoral considerations, and Chuck Schumer is criticized for treating Israel as a puppet state.

And who bears responsibility for the grave failure on October 7th? According to Bibi’s narrative, the primary culprits are the Army Chief of Staff and the head of the Israel Security Agency, both of whom should be dismissed. But what about Bibi himself? He insists on remaining. While every official or general has a potential successor, Bibi does not. As demonstrated over the past two decades, each time it seemed Bibi was on the verge of downfall, he managed to rebound. According to him, the Israeli populace seeks a resolute leader like Netanyahu, who, along with other “strong” leaders such as Putin and Erdogan, eagerly awaits the return of their ally Donald Trump to the White House.

Biden’s challenge doesn’t just lie with Bibi and his administration. Chuck Schumer, in his address, highlighted the malignant influence of extremism, which obstructs any prospects for peace. Alongside Smotrich and Ben Gvir, he also indicted Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. This list could be extended to include figures like Khamenei, Ben Salman, and Nasrallah, who govern oppressive regimes antithetical to democratic principles.

Moreover, akin to Bibi, Biden finds himself contending with extremist factions. One faction seeks to transform the entirety of Israel into a halachic, autocratic state, while the other aims for Palestine, from the river to the sea, as an Islamic, fundamentalist state. However, while Biden and Schumer grapple with the extremist fringes within their party, Netanyahu fully aligns himself with the far-right. He’s willing to imperil Israel’s future, its democratic ethos, and its standing among civilized nations, all in pursuit of maintaining his grip on power.

There exists a crucial factor capable of safeguarding democracy, both in America and Israel. It’s an element seldom acknowledged, yet it remains potent. It’s the sole force capable of offering alternatives, having thwarted regime changes through sustained and unwavering activism. If Biden has an ally in Israel, it’s the protest movement—hundreds of thousands of activists once again taking to the streets, clamoring for “elections now.”

While all coalition parties and most opposition parties were entangled in a mindset that aimed to manage rather than solve the conflict with the Palestinians, allowing the situation to fester, the protest movement emerged as a formidable force against messianic extremism, ultra-Orthodoxy, settler movements, and any aspirations to transform Israel into a dictatorship. The protest movement envisions an egalitarian, democratic Israel that lives in peace and harmony with its Palestinian neighbors. Supporters of democracy refuse to accept an apartheid state or a halachic state, prompting them to take to the streets to forge a new reality and secure the future for generations to come.

This is why Israel urgently needs elections. The political leadership and security establishment have lost the trust of the people. The upcoming election won’t revolve around the question of whether to establish a Palestinian state, as Netanyahu would prefer. Instead, voters will face a straightforward query – who is accountable for the October 7th tragedy? Who advocated and advanced the failed strategy? In the upcoming elections, the debate will focus on whether to manage or resolve the conflict. Those who were willing to empower Hamas in order to block a political resolution will find themselves sidelined. Their approach will be relegated to the dustbin of history.

Will Netanyahu’s departure from the political stage resolve the Palestinian issue? Probably not. Ultimately, the fate of this question rests with the Palestinians themselves. Unfortunately, many Palestinians view the Palestinian Authority as an inevitable fate and are swayed by Hamas’s extremist and militant rhetoric, as well as its imagined triumphs. Ultimately, it will be their decision to chart their future course.

And what about Biden’s future? Netanyahu’s exit will undoubtedly bolster Biden’s position and empower the moderate factions within his party, potentially leading to victory over Trump and the fascist camp in the United States. If that scenario unfolds, good enough!