Shift in US Foreign Policy Against Israel?

For John, BLUF:  I think Israel still exists in the Middle East because of US support.  I would hate to see us back away from that support.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Biden Makes History:  First President in 40 Years to Punt on Contacting Israel

Here is the sub-headline:

White House doesn't list Israel as American ally

From The Washington Free Beacon, by Reporter Adam Kredo, 12 February 2021, 6:30 PM.

Here is the lede plus four:

President Joe Biden is the first American leader in 40 years not to contact Israel’s leaders as one of his first actions in the White House, setting up what could be four years of chilly relations between America and its top Middle East ally.

Biden has already phoned multiple world leaders, including Russian president Vladimir Putin and Chinese president Xi Jinping, but during his 23 days in office has yet to speak with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu—making Biden the first president in modern history to punt on bolstering U.S.-Israel relations during his initial days in office.  Every president going back to at least Ronald Reagan in 1981 made contact with their Israeli counterpart within a week of assuming office, according to a review of news reports.

Congressional foreign policy leaders slammed Biden’s Netanyahu snub, prompting a flurry of questions for White House press secretary Jen Psaki, who has declined to disclose when or if Biden will call the Israeli leader.  Psaki also said on Friday the White House would not list Israel as a U.S. ally when asked about the relationship during her daily press briefing.

Modern presidents going back to Reagan made calls or overtures to Israel during their first days in office, sending a message the United States would continue to stand for the Jewish state’s security.  Biden’s diplomatic slight comes as Israel faces encroaching terrorist threats and the danger of a nuclear-armed Iran.  He also has hired several individuals with a background in anti-Israel activism, including Maher Bitar, a top White House National Security Council official who spent his youth organizing boycotts of the Jewish state.  The State Department’s Iran envoy, Robert Malley, also has been a vocal critic of Israel.

This report is five days old and this morning I saw a report that said the Biden Administration was planning on contacting Mr Netanyahu within the next couple of weeks.

Even so, I am worried about how the new Administration will be maintaining peace in the Middle East.  President Trump's Abraham Accords offered a new path to peace in the Middle East.  I hope we do not have much backtracking by the Biden Administration.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff