Once Solid US-Israel Relations Become Rocky as Governments Butt Heads

‘This is a disagreement between friends,’ expert says

Israel’s current government has been in power for just a few weeks and relations with the country’s greatest ally, the United States, appear to have hit a major speed bump.

“It was a matter of time,” said Dr. Yonatan Freeman of the Department of Political Science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. “The sides were probably aiming for a different kind of interaction and there is certain language that wasn’t supposed to be used.”

For decades, the alliance between Israel and the US has been considered iron-clad. But throughout the cumulative years that Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has been in power, there have been ups and downs that may have shaken the foundation of the relationship.

“What was once taken for granted is not anymore,” according to Alon Pinkas, a former Israel consul general in New York and an expert on Israel-US relations.

The rise in tensions between Palestinians and Israelis and the internal strife in Israel regarding government-backed judicial reforms, have put the relationship between the Israeli government and the White House to the test.

“The administration sees this as two sides of the same issue,” said Pinkas.

Until now, the White House has been restraining its reaction. Now there is a growing understanding that it may not be possible to continue with the ‘business as usual’ approach.

At the beginning of the week, two Israeli brothers ages 19 and 21 were murdered by a Palestinian assailant. Hours later, Israeli settlers rioted in the Palestinian village of Huwara, setting homes and cars on fire in retaliation. The following day, an American citizen was shot dead by Palestinians as he drove to a wedding in the West Bank.

Throughout the week, the US expressed its concern over the events.

It also hosted a summit in Aqaba, Jordan in an attempt to diffuse the tensions between Israelis and Palestinians. The summit was disregarded by several ministers in the Netanyahu-led government.

Prior to the swearing in of the government, there already were reports that the US had voiced its concern over statements made by far-right-wing Knesset members Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, who both now hold senior portfolios in the government.

On Wednesday, the US State Department condemned Smotrich, the finance minister, who called to “wipe out” Huwara. His call came after the murders and the riot on Monday and the subsequent public criticism.

“These comments were irresponsible. They were repugnant; they were disgusting. And just as we condemn Palestinian incitement to violence, we condemn these provocative remarks that also amount to incitement to violence,” said spokesman Ned Price, in fierce language not often used between the two countries.

“Until now, the White House has been restraining its reaction,” said Pinkas. “Now there is a growing understanding that it may not be possible to continue with the ‘business as usual’ approach.”

It seems the White House is growing increasingly frustrated with the Netanyahu government. The administration, led by US President Joe Biden, has said on several occasions that it will judge the Israeli government by its actions, not by the history of its members or their current statements.

“The White House realizes that there are personalities in the Netanyahu government that are very autonomous in their announcements and declarations,” said Freeman. “The Americans were forced to comment on recent statements. This is not the first time.”

With events on all fronts developing rapidly, it probably will not be the last.

“The friendship will always be strong, because of the values, public opinion and mutual interests. This is a disagreement between friends,” Freeman said.

However, sometimes friendship requires tough love.

“There is a whole menu of measures that the US can choose from with different levels of strength and harshness that can be used against Israel,” said Pinkas. “US support is first and foremost not about money and defense aid, but about the wide diplomatic umbrella it has spread over Israel.”

Smotrich is the leader of the far-right Religious Zionism party, one of Netanyahu’s senior coalition partners. In addition to holding the finance portfolio, Smotrich also heads the body that authorizes settlement construction and demolition of Palestinian homes in most of the West Bank Palestinian territories. The Civil Administration had been under the Defense Ministry until it was handed over to Smotrich as part of the coalition agreements between his party and Netanyahu’s Likud. The agreement also drew criticism and concern. Smotrich’s position puts him on a constant collision course with the Biden administration, which has a clear policy against Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank.

Israel captured the West Bank during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. While the international community sees the Israeli presence there as illegal, Israel has settled the area with hundreds of thousands of Jewish Israelis. Palestinians see the land as an integral part of their future state.

According to Pinkas, without consistent American vetoes at the United Nations Security Council, Israel would already be under a stringent sanction regime.

Smotrich campaigned on settlement expansion in the West Bank and, once sworn in, he vowed to continue moving forward. Reports that Israel agreed to a settlement freeze at the Aqaba summit as a measure to ease tensions with the Palestinians has been denied by senior ministers, including Netanyahu.

Smotrich is headed to the US later this month to attend a conference hosted by the Development Corporation for Israel-State of Israel Bonds. So far, it is unclear whether the Israeli finance minister will be meeting his American counterpart or other US officials as is often customary on such visits. If no such meetings are held, this will be a very clear signal of American dissatisfaction.

Another telling sign is that Netanyahu still has not received an invitation to visit the White House since he again took office at the end of last year.

Since the new Israeli government began its work, American officials have condemned and raised concern over a string of events and statements by Israeli cabinet ministers. Ben-Gvir’s contentious visit to the Temple Mount in early January drew criticism from Washington just as he took office as national security minister.

Last week when US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides encouraged the Israeli government to “put the brakes” on judicial reforms, Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli responded during a radio interview to the Kan national broadcaster that the US should “mind its own business.”

“I really think that most Israelis do not want America to stay out of their business,” Nides said Tuesday night at a conference hosted by the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv.

Israel needs the US for a wide range of critical matters. From substantial defense aide, to diplomatic backing in the international arena, Israel cannot face its biggest threat without US backing. The Iranian nuclear program, which has been at the top of Netanyahu’s agenda for years, cannot be curbed by Israel alone.

“The ability of Netanyahu to rally the Americans is almost non-existent,” Pinkas observed.

In 2015, Netanyahu addressed the US Congress, blindsiding then-President Barack Obama. Biden was vice president then and the memory remains fresh.

“Netanyahu has a major credibility deficit in the US,” said Pinkas. “Because of his actions now on the judicial reforms and the conflict with the Palestinians, he has lost his own ability to maneuver on the Iranian issue.”

The ability of Netanyahu to rally the Americans is almost non-existent

Another thorn in the relationship is the Israeli position on the war in Ukraine.

Israel has adopted a policy under which it continues to sit on the fence, not taking sides in the war that is raging in Europe and essentially dividing the world. While Netanyahu inherited the policy from the previous government, it appears he has chosen to continue it.

“The US and Israel do not see eye-to-eye on the issue,” said Pinkas. “The US does not view Israel as an ally on the matter and it is very angry with Israel. This has brought increased pressure on Israel.”

In an attempt to pressure Israel further, the Ukrainian embassy in Tel Aviv published a list of recent Israeli commitments that it expects it to keep.

“This pressure has been bearing fruit. Israel has begun to make some changes,” Freeman added.

While such a shift could appease the Biden administration, the thorns in the relationship are stubborn and look like they are threatening to grow.