Will Trump drag Netanyahu down with him?
Opponents of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are claiming the downfall of US President Donald Trump heralds the end of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well.
Three days after Joe Biden was declared president-elect of the United States, the Twitter account of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu still features a photo of defeated President Donald Trump in its banner. Trump will be leaving the White House in two and a half months.
Netanyahu is sufficiently experienced and self-aware to know that the president can still take major steps in the Middle East and counter Iranian ambitions in ways that will help him politically, but nothing is simple. This weekend, Netanyahu found himself caught between his good friend Trump, who refused to admit defeat, and President-elect Joe Biden, with whom he will have to work in the very near future.
While European leaders were quick to congratulation Biden, Netanyahu held back for half a day. Those 12 hours were long enough to be problematic for the new administration. Finally, on the morning of Nov. 7, Netanyahu tweeted a short congratulatory message.
Shortly thereafter, Netanyahu again offered his congratulations at the start of last Sunday’s cabinet meeting. He read from a written statement, likely out of caution not to anger Trump. Netanyahu congratulated Biden without using the term “president-elect.” In just 43 carefully chosen words, he recalled their good past relationship. In contrast, he spent 53 effusive words on Trump, listing everything he did for Israel and emphasizing their personal friendship. It was obvious who Netanyahu would prefer to see in the White House and that he is having a hard time saying goodbye to his friend.
