The juxtaposition of Congress widely criticizing Israel while the president maintains support has created a good cop/bad cop role reversal that isn’t going unnoticed in Israel.
Why it matters: An increasing number of Democratic lawmakers became frustrated with President Biden this week for his behind-the-scenes approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Axios found. That’s a sea change from a tradition of presidential prominence, as well as unquestioned congressional support for Israel
Lawmakers said they thought the White House should be more publicly forceful in its efforts to de-escalate the crisis.
It was only Thursday night that both sides agreed to a ceasefire, a development that Biden said in hastily arranged White House remarks came after the administration’s “intense,” “quiet and relentless” diplomacy that included six calls to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In Israel, which had grown accustomed to criticism from President Obama before a respite of support from President Trump, officials came to view the White House and State Department as the “good cop” — weighing in to support Netanyahu’s government and blocking problematic initiatives.
