Biden's silence and what it means
That timetable was very early. Most presidents don’t meet the Israeli prime minister in their first month in office. Obama, for instance, only appointed ambassadors in early March. But a phone call between the two leaders in the first week is traditional.
As of this February 14, none of the above has happened this time around. The leaders haven’t spoken, even by phone; no meeting has been arranged; it’s still unclear who the next ambassador to Israel will be; and a diplomatic initiative with the Palestinians is not in the cards.
But what does all that mean?
Truth be told, not that much. The relations between Israel and the United States are multilayered, with several levels of diplomacy under the president and prime minister. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan have already spoken twice with their Israeli counterparts Gabi Ashkenazi and Meir Ben Shabbat. It seems a safe bet that the talks related to Iran, although neither country has provided details. But the two sides are in fact working together.
As for the Palestinians, nothing’s in the offing. The subject isn’t even on Biden’s radar, and it’s safe to assume that we’ll hear nothing from him on the matter in the coming year except for the occasional diplomatic platitude. For many on the Israeli right, it should come as a relief that an American president has said more or less upfront that he won’t involve himself in the peace process. Even Trump made an attempt, at least until the PA cut ties with the US for recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
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