Netanyahu Plays Both Sides During His U.S. Trip

• Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to Congress and laid out his vision for the Israel-Gaza war

• The speech was met with violent protests; anti-Israel protestors attacked police and vandalized monuments

• Bibi met with both party’s presidential nominees, preparing for every scenario

The story

Benjamin Netanyahu, or Bibi for short, has addressed Congress four times — more than any other foreign leader — partially because he is one of few leaders in the democratic world who has led his country during four different decades (as prime minister at some point in the 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s).

The last time Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to Congress, the topic was the threat of the pending Iran Deal. Barack Obama, then president, had a frosty relationship with the Israeli leader and opposed Netanyahu addressing the legislative assembly. He critiqued the speech as saying “nothing new.”

Ten years later, Netanyahu returned to deliver another address. The speech transpired only because House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) outmaneuvered Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who had deferred approving Netanyahu’s appearance.

While the specter of Iran haunted the background, it was not the speech’s focus. The focal point was Israel’s response to Hamas’ massacre late last year, and how Netanyahu envisions a future for Gaza and the Middle East.

He portrayed Israel’s war with Hamas as essential to America’s national security: with U.S. support, Israel “can help keep Americans’ boots off the ground.” The support he seeks is primarily fast-tracked military aid.

Bibi’s arrival in the U.S. was met with violent and chaotic protests: Hamas flags were waved, police were attacked, statues were graffitied, and American flags were burned while onlookers chanted “Allahu Akbar.” Amid Israel’s war against Hamas, Americans gathered to express intense hatred for the Israeli leader for alleged war crimes perpetrated against Palestinian civilians.

The politics

Netanyahu also utilized his brief U.S. visit to meet with President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former president Donald Trump.

Currently, the GOP is significantly more positive toward Israel than the left. By sheer coincidence, Bibi has spoken to Congress only during the Democratic presidencies of Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden. He enjoyed good relationships with none of them.

Democrats today are significantly more skeptical of Israel, and Netanyahu specifically. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) labeled his speech the ”the worst” ever delivered by a foreign leader. Some in the audience were hostile; Rep. Rashida Tlaib (R-MI) held a sign proclaiming the visiting leader a war criminal. The vice president and likely presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, refused to attend the speech.

Harris’s decision was blasted by Speaker Johnson, who called it “unconscionable.” “We need to have the truth presented,” he offered as his reason for inviting Netanyahu.

Beyond the headlines

Israel has rapidly become a partisan issue. One poll found that, while 64 percent of Republicans approve of Israel’s actions in Gaza, only 18 percent of Democrats do. That scenario seems cut and dried, but a look into more detailed polling reveals significant shifts under the surface.

Surveys and polls consistently show that younger voters, including Republican voters, are more skeptical of Israel than older generations. The attitude change has been evolving for years, with polls taken in the late 2010s also reflecting a shift. This is likely a reason for Netanyahu framing the war as crucial to American security and to keeping American boots out of the Middle East.

As the GOP steers sharply away from interventionism the past few years, Trump’s selection of Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) for his vice-presidential nominee indicates that the party may shift even further. Because of Israel’s strong relationship with the U.S., the wave of anti-interventionism has mostly spared Israel. But if it continues, that status may not last.

Why it matters

Netanyahu portrayed the current moment as a “crossroads of history.” In many ways, it is. In the Middle East balancing act, the Gaza war could be the one remaining impediment to a Saudi-Israeli normalization deal. It could also see American foreign policy shift away from its historic rock-solid support of Israel.

Further, Bibi’s meetings with the three major U.S. political players underscore the importance of his diplomatic mission. The Israeli leader had a solid relationship with Trump during his presidency and now finds himself clashing with the Biden-Harris administration on how to conduct the war in Gaza to their liking.

Trump returning to power would certainly help Israel. With Kamala Harris potentially taking the helm, he has to play nice with her, too.