Israel-Hamas War Pushes Biden and Netanyahu Toward Uncomfortable Partnership

U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, allies lacking intimacy in times of prosperity, are expected to put their strained relationship to another test as Israel prepares for a possible ground invasion of Gaza. After months of tension over the path forward in the Middle East, the two leaders, who have known each other for decades, have rushed into a wartime partnership following a deadly attack by militants from the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) from Gaza on Israel. However, the disagreements between the leaders run much deeper. Biden has consistently expressed his support for an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel during his presidency. Administration officials say he has raised this issue in every conversation with Netanyahu, asking him to halt the expansion of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. Their often tense history includes Biden's time as Vice President during Barack Obama's presidency when Netanyahu futilely attempted to sabotage the 2015 U.S.-backed nuclear deal with Iran, a sworn enemy of Israel in the region. In contrast, Netanyahu's ideas aligned with those of Biden's Republican predecessor and potential 2024 challenger, Donald Trump, whose ideological support for the right-wing Prime Minister included staunchly pro-Israel policies. However, Netanyahu has been cautious and avoided taking sides in the U.S. presidential campaign.