How Israel's future ties with the U.S. hang on Tuesday’s vote

Experts say US election results could significantly change US-Israel elections, and how Biden will handle the region until inauguration

Maayan Hoffman, ILTV|Updated:
PrintFind an error? Report us
Related Topics
ILTV
Donald Trump
Israel
Kamala Harris
Democratic Party
Election
The outcome of Tuesday’s U.S. elections could significantly alter the future of U.S.-Israel relations, predicts Dr. Eric Mandel, founder and director of the Middle East Political and Information Network (MEPIN). However, another critical question is how President Joe Biden will approach the Middle East from November 5 until the January 20 inauguration.
In an interview with ILTV News, Mandel explained that if Vice President Kamala Harris secures victory, Biden is likely to seek stability in the region over the next three months. But if former President Donald Trump wins, the situation becomes less predictable.
Biden has long identified as a strong supporter of Israel, even calling himself a "Zionist." Mandel suggested that Biden might want to solidify this legacy by supporting a resolution to the Iranian nuclear threat.
Alternatively, Biden could follow a path similar to former President Barack Obama, whose administration endorsed UN Security Council Resolution 2334, declaring Israeli settlements beyond the Green Line illegal.
However, Israelis shouldn’t assume that a Trump return to office on January 20 would bring the same policies or peace as during his first term, warns Bar-Ilan University Professor Eytan Gilboa.
“We know from history and the theory of presidential elections and behavior that a president in a second term is very different from a first term, especially in this case, where Trump lost the 2020 election and is now coming back in 2024,” he explained. “Many things have happened, both in the United States and Israel. And so I think the expectation that the golden age of the first term will repeat itself is uncertain.”
Gilboa advised Israel to “prepare itself” for the possibility of a different Trump in office or a Harris presidency.
He stressed that Israel needs “a plan for how to deal with all kinds of constraints that the country is going to be under, primarily due to pressure from the progressive branch of the Democratic Party” if Harris wins.
Under Biden, Gilboa explained, this progressive constituency was largely ignored. But Harris, who would seek re-election, may align more closely with this group, which he described as “hostile to Israel and often antisemitic.”
“This would be a major challenge for the Israeli government,” Gilboa said.
Watch the full episode of Insider here. Watch more episodes of Insider here.
First published: 00:11, 11.06.24
Comments
The commenter agrees to the privacy policy of Ynet News and agrees not to submit comments that violate the terms of use, including incitement, libel and expressions that exceed the accepted norms of freedom of speech.
""