The Biden administration, just a week before the recent attacks on Israel, had interestingly praised the lack of conflict in the Middle East, referring to it as being ‘quieter’. This statement was made in relation to the initiatives taken by it towards forging a path for an Israeli-Palestinian peace.
The sudden escalation of violence between Israel and Hamas, with rockets being launched at Jerusalem from Gaza and retaliatory air strikes by Israel, has starkly contrasted the administration’s earlier narrative. This has led to political pundits and analysts signaling a potential foreign policy challenge for the current U.S. administration.
It should be noted, however, that the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict date back decades and cannot be attributed to any one administration’s actions or claims. The prospects for peace in the region remain highly uncertain, given the deep-seated political, religious and territorial disputes at play.
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To exemplify their claim, the Biden team had suggested that one of the successes of their approach to the Middle East so far has been a reduction in headlines related to the region. They had credited this to their attentiveness to various Middle East issues and their careful diplomacy.
Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor touched on this in a call with the press saying One of the returns on investment… is a calmer, quieter Middle East. He affirmed that the Biden administration aims at providing a sustainable two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
This came just before the series of violent incidents that have broken out in Jerusalem. Attacks have been made against Israel by Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, in response to what it sees as Israeli provocations. Israel has retaliated with extensive airstrikes.
Biden himself has made it clear that he supports Israel’s right to self-defense against rocket attacks from Hamas and other Gaza-based terrorist groups. He also, however, believes that both Israelis and Palestinians equally deserve measures of security, prosperity, freedom, and democracy. As a result, the Biden administration is now facing a critical test of its foreign policy and its approach to a longstanding, multifaceted conflict.
