There is precedent for a departing US administration shoving Israel under the bus in its waning days
By this time next week, we should know who won, but whether Kamala Harris becomes the 47th president or waddles into lame-duck status, the Biden administration will remain in power for another 76 days, giving them enough time to complicate life for Israel if they so desire.
For weeks, Israeli media and political circles have been abuzz with growing speculation that if Harris loses, the Biden administration will take out their frustrations on the Netanyahu government and punish it for its “disobedience” — or, if she wins, her incoming administration will initiate draconian anti-Israel policies and hide behind the claim that she merely inherited these policies from the previous administration.
These could include an arms embargo of some kind that would hamper Israel from prosecuting its wars against Hamas and Hezbollah, or a linkage of future arms shipments to a unilateral cease-fire on terms disadvantageous to Israel. Other options include leveling financial sanctions, such as freezing bank accounts or denying access to the SWIFT international money transfer system. Targets could include right-wing Israeli cabinet members such as Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, or organizations such as Amana and the Nachala Foundation, which raise money and help finance infrastructure in Judea and Samaria.
Most of these actions would be reversible if Trump takes office, but even two and a half months of sanctions could stall Israel’s military momentum, right when the IDF has Hamas and Hezbollah on the run. It would also encourage European nations clamoring for similar actions and embolden the forces working overtime to delegitimize Israel’s claims to Judea and Samaria, which is now home to more than 850,000 Jews, counting the 350,000 who live in Jerusalem neighborhoods built after the 1967 Six Day War.
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