Trust Breakdown: White House Suspicion Grows as Israel Navigates Middle East Crisis
In a startling turn of events, the Biden administration’s faith in the Israeli government is wearing thin. As tensions escalate in the Middle East, U.S. officials reveal a growing distrust of Israel’s military and diplomatic plans.
The White House wants clarity from Israel. Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, told Israeli minister Ron Dermer they expect openness about plans to strike back at Iran. This comes after Iran’s recent missile attack on Israel.
“We need to know what’s going on,” a U.S. official said bluntly. “If we’re in the dark, we can’t automatically back them against another Iranian attack.”
The U.S. has been caught off guard by several Israeli moves lately. They weren’t told beforehand about the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. This happened just days after Netanyahu promised Biden he’d work towards freeing hostages and a Gaza ceasefire.
Israel also kept quiet about plans to blow up Hezbollah gear in Lebanon and kill their leader in Beirut. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was angry when he got last-minute notice about the Beirut strike. He felt it put U.S. forces at risk.
Another sore point was Netanyahu’s flip-flop on a U.S. peace plan for Lebanon. Biden announced the plan, thinking Israel had agreed, only to have them back out.
The White House is also worried about Israel’s orders for Palestinians to leave northern Gaza. U.S. officials fear this could lead to permanent displacement, breaking international laws.
“They tell us what we want to hear,” a U.S. official said. “We don’t know if we can believe them anymore.”
Meanwhile, Israel is planning how to hit back at Iran. General Michael Kurilla from the U.S. visited Israel to learn about these plans. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is heading to Washington to talk more about it.
An Israeli official tried to calm fears: “We will respond to Iran’s attack, no doubt. But we won’t start an all-out war.”
In a separate but related issue, the White House slammed Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for criticizing a Gaza ceasefire plan. John Kirby, speaking for the National Security Council, called Smotrich’s words “absurd” and dangerous for hostages.
Smotrich had said a ceasefire would be “a dangerous trap” and urged Netanyahu not to agree. Kirby fired back, saying Smotrich was “dead wrong” and misleading people.
As talks about hostage exchanges and ceasefires continue, the relationship between the U.S. and Israel seems increasingly strained. The coming days will determine how these longtime allies navigate this complex and volatile situation.
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