Where Are We Going in the Middle East?

For John, BLUF:  I am a supporter of Israel, so I am bothered by President Biden seeming to give Israel, and Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu the cold shoulder.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Is Joe Biden Looking to Take Obama's Place as the Most Anti-Israel President in History?

From PJ Media, by Columnist Matt Margolis, 15 February 2021, 2:56 PM ET.

Here is the lede plus two:

Barack Obama’s antipathy toward Israel during his two terms was unprecedented at the time, but it looks like Joe Biden is going to give him a run for his money.

As PJM’s Robert Spencer noted earlier, Joe Biden “has pointedly refrained from calling the head of the government of our most reliable ally in the Middle East, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,” which could be an ominous warning that relations with our most important ally in the Middle East over the next four years will experience some major setbacks.

In his first three weeks in office Biden has spoken with many world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin (OMG collusion, right?) and Chinese President Xi Jinping, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been snubbed.  This makes Biden “the first president in modern history to punt on bolstering U.S.-Israel relations during his initial days in office,” the Free Beacon’s Adam Kredo noted.  “Every president going back to at least Ronald Reagan in 1981 made contact with their Israeli counterpart within a week of assuming office.”  Even the notoriously anti-Israel Barack Obama called Israeli leaders on his first day in office. He also called Palestinian leaders the same day, but still made a stronger effort than Biden.  President Trump, of course, had a great relationship with Israel and quickly invited Netanyahu to Washington, D.C., within days of taking office.  President Trump went on to make historic progress with Israel, moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and brokering several peace deals between Israel and Arab nations in the Middle East.

This may work out OK, but it does not seem like the way to go.  If offends Israel.  It likely offends our Arab friends, who have just broken precedent and signed up for the Abraham Accords.  It may please Iran, but not enough for them to come to an agreement with us over nuclear weapons or Middle East peace.

I hope this is not encouraging another Intifada.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff