As President Isaac Herzog of Israel visited the Oval Office, a peculiar scene unfolded as President Biden grappled with his notes during the public remarks. The left-wing Democrats simultaneously prepared to boycott Herzog’s upcoming speech at the Capitol, voicing their objections to Israel’s policies towards Palestinians.
Biden, holding notecards on his lap, repeatedly referred to them while addressing the media, diverting his gaze from Herzog during most of the one-minute speech. “This is a friendship, I believe, that is just simply unbreakable — unbreakable,” he proclaimed, following his notes carefully.
In his speech, Biden mentioned the joint efforts to promote security and integration in the Middle East, highlighting various initiatives such as supporting an Israeli-Lebanese maritime boundary deal and extending support to Israeli flights over Saudi and Omani territories. However, he stumbled over the pronunciation of some Middle Eastern cities, adding an element of awkwardness to the event.
As the President expressed his firm commitment to Israel’s security and denounced Iran’s acquisition of nuclear weapons, the Israeli President Herzog listened intently. Despite Biden’s focus on the US-Israel bond, some Democrats decided to skip Herzog’s speech at the Capitol in protest of Israel’s policies, particularly those related to Palestinians.
The political divide within the Democratic Party became apparent, with left-wing members like Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Cori Bush, and Jamaal Bowman deciding to boycott the event. Even close ally Pramila Jayapal stirred controversy by initially describing Israel as a “racist state,” but later clarified her statement, citing issues with the current Israeli government’s policies.
As Herzog prepared to address a joint meeting of Congress to mark Israel’s 75th independence anniversary, the tensions between Democrats and their stance on Israel’s actions highlighted the complexities of Middle Eastern politics in the American context. The visit, overshadowed by the boycott and Biden’s reliance on notes, painted a unique and thought-provoking picture of the US-Israel relations and the Democratic Party’s internal dynamics.