Biden's Plan to Handle Israel's Right-wing Government Is to Blame Netanyahu

The Biden administration will hold Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu “personally responsible” for the future actions of right-wing lawmakers in his coalition, U.S. Politico reported citing two U.S. officials.

The news follows a scathing editorial published by the New York Times warning the incoming government poses a “significant threat” to Israel, and Netanyahu’s subsequent reassurance that he will be the one leading the government, and not his future far-right ministers.

“Biden aides say they need to limit its far-right excesses, and they see Netanyahu as their best conduit to exert such influence,” the report said.

The Biden administration will also “publicly turn to” Netanyahu on any serious issues regarding the Palestinians or Israel’s ties with Arab nations, the anonymous officials said, according to the report.

“Bibi says he can control his government, so let’s see him do just that,” said one of the U.S. officials, referring to the incoming prime minister by his nickname.

“Everyone, without exception, [understands] that these guys are fundamentally different” from previous Israeli governments, he said.

“What’s relevant is Netanyahu. He is the prime minister,” the second official said.

“People are making a strategic mistake by building these guys up,” he added, referring to Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition partners, including MK Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has a history of incendiary remarks against Arabs, MK Bezalel Smotrich and the anti-LGBT Avi Maoz.

“Netanyahu wants a bunch of stuff from us,” one of the U.S. officials told Politico. “It’s a two-way street… We’ll work with him on the things he cares about, and he’ll work on the things we care about.”

However, he added that the U.S. would resort to public castigating Netanyahu if needed.

“Right now, we’ve been very measured,” the official said. “We could turn up the criticism very quickly.”

Earlier this month, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides, said: “I’ll work with Prime Minister Netanyahu. As he says, he has his hands on the wheel… I’m going to make sure those hands are very tight on that wheel, and I’ll encourage him to do the things that he said he wants to do.”

“He said he wants to be prime minister for all of Israel. I take him at his word. And obviously, the United States will work with him to make sure that happens,” Nides added.

“We will speak up and speak out when we believe that our shared values are getting confused, and that’s what friends do,” Nides said, noting that Israel is a democracy.

Netanyahu is expected to announce that he has successfully formed a government ahead of his midnight deadline.