Lacking Mideast clout, US tries to mediate
WASHINGTON – During his election campaign, Joe Biden emphasized domestic policy, from economic recovery to fighting COVID-19, leaving almost all foreign policy aside.
He did not lay out any plan for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and almost four months after entering the Oval Office, he is yet to call some leaders in the region. The message between the lines was that the Middle East is not a priority for the administration, and that China, Russia and the multilateral effort to address climate change are the most urgent challenges to US foreign policy which require the president’s attention.
As the recent round of escalation is unfolding, the administration finds itself with no ambassador in Israel and with no special envoy to the region, with a limited ability to make an impact.
And on the fourth day of fighting, the president has yet to address the situation himself. Instead, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken are coordinating the diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation.
Blinken: Israel has a right to defend itself against Hamas rockets,
White House press secretary Jen Psaki defended the administration’s approach on Wednesday and said that “a lot of [our engagement] is happening privately through diplomatic channels.”
“We, of course, will nominate a qualified, experienced ambassador to Israel over the coming weeks,” she said at Wednesday’s press briefing. “That’s in process. And when