Steven A. Cook
What will Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu aim to achieve during his visit to the U.S. Capitol next week? Will talks on ending Israel’s war with Hamas see progress?
Netanyahu has two principal goals for this visit. First, he wants to demonstrate that he has not undermined Israel’s relationship with the United States, as his domestic critics have accused. His July 24 address to a joint session of Congress will be a good place to start. The prime minister will also want to demonstrate that his ties with the White House remain strong despite differences between him and U.S. President Joe Biden over the conduct of Israel’s military operations in the Gaza Strip. Separate from his speech on Capitol Hill, Netanyahu will highlight for Israelis just how much support there is for Israel in the halls of Congress when he meets with the leadership of both the Democratic and Republican parties.
Second, Netanyahu will endeavor to shift the conversation away from the conflict in Gaza toward the threat that Iran and its proxies pose not just to Israel, but also to the United States. This is critically important for Netanyahu and Israel as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the country’s military, intends to wind down major operations in Gaza and turn its attention to southern Lebanon, home to the Iran-backed Hezbollah. Netanyahu clearly wants to elicit both military and diplomatic U.S. support should the Israelis decide to escalate their ongoing border conflict with the militant group. The Israeli government cannot tolerate Hezbollah’s presence on the border and the fact that Israel has had to evacuate eighty thousand residents in its northern communities. Meanwhile, the Biden administration remains hesitant to get further involved as fears mount over the potential for a broader regional conflict. Netanyahu’s visit, and the likely support he will receive from members of Congress, is intended to apply pressure on Biden during a tough presidential election.
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