TEL AVIV — US President Joe Biden’s brief visit to Israel in the midst of a war, his repeated statements of unequivocal support and a proposed aid package estimated at $14 billion have resonated deeply with Israelis across the political spectrum.
Even the most tenacious followers of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were left dumbstruck. For months, they had mocked Biden for his advanced age, and now they find themselves busy trying to scrub posts, tweets and statements accusing him of meddling in the government’s planned judicial overhaul by urging Netanyahu to seek broad consensus for such a controversial move.
“The president has proven his commitment to Israel's security not only in words, but also in deeds,” a senior Israeli war cabinet official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. “In addition to the two aircraft carriers [deployed to the Mediterranean] and his visit to Israel, he will pass an unprecedented security aid package in Congress that will include means never before provided to us by the United States and will enable us to deal with the most difficult threats and challenges as well as greatly enhance our ability to conduct a prolonged military campaign.”
The Americans are planning to fill Israel’s arsenals with ammunition of all kinds, especially smart bombs and Iron Dome anti-missile interceptors, to prepare for the coming weeks and months and avoid having to mount an emergency airlift if war breaks out with Hezbollah in addition to fighting Hamas.
