Several veteran Israeli diplomats discuss their own experience working with previous Democratic administrations, and offer pointers for Israel’s representatives
Photos: Flash90
Compared to the deep freeze of the Obama years, Israel’s ties to Washington under the Trump administration were warm and close. With Joe Biden set to take over in January, many advocates for the Jewish state wonder if a new cold front is blowing in.
But several veteran Israeli diplomats recommend taking a sunny disposition. They discuss their own experience working with previous Democratic administrations, and offer pointers for Israel’s representatives on how to build productive relationships. The envoys are:
These diplomats’ best assessment is that Biden will spend his first year focusing on domestic issues: the coronavirus, the economy, and the deep divisions in American society. When foreign affairs do come up, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be far down on the agenda. Biden will first want to deal with the Iranians, restore America’s status in NATO, and reset relations with China and Russia.
Israel’s chief concern is probably how Biden will deal with the Iran nuclear deal that Trump abandoned. The Tehran regime will unquestionably be a priority in his foreign policy agenda. Biden has said that if the Iranians return to compliance with the deal, America will follow suit, lifting sanctions. Only then will the administration sit down to hash out a new deal with Iran and the Europeans. Harris supported reentering the nuclear deal during the Democratic primaries, but stressed that it should be “expanded,” without elaborating.
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