By James E. Jennings*
Tomorrow, 24 July, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, under indictment for crimes of fraud in his own country and a certified genocidaire in the eyes of much of the world, will be enthusiastically welcomed to speak to the US Congress and meet President Joe Biden.
Most people think that the US president is the strongest man in the world. There are good reasons for believing that. The United States boasts the strongest economy, by far the strongest military, and the most comprehensive set of alliances of any nation. But it’s not true.
Israel’s Prime Minister is far stronger because of the money and political influence he can command in the United States, especially during an election year.
Watch his speech and you’ll see almost the entire Congress in Washington applaud wildly and slavishly when Netanyahu speaks, much like the clones in Saddam’smajlisor Kim Jong Il’s parliament.
“Bibi” has addressed congress before, and most of our elected representatives gave a disgusting performance in fawning over him. It’s both shameful and infuriating to see lawmakers trashing American values to celebrate a certifiable war criminal.
For almost two generations Israel’s Prime Ministers have had outsize influence with US presidents, who inevitably bow to the Zionist Lobby. So, whenever Joe Biden, a historically weak president by any standard, sits side by side with Netanyahu to discuss Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza, he is inevitably “trumped” by Bibi.
Both Republican and Democratic candidates need Christian Zionist and American Jewish support to be elected in November. President Biden has already proven his loyalty by embracing Netanyahu and sending Israel 14 billion dollars and a continuous supply of bombs.
Despite the continuing protests over Gaza in the US and abroad, Netanyahu can still dangle Biden and his apparent heir Vice President Kamala Harris like puppets, because he has far more influence in Washington than they do.
“Don’t kill civilians,” Biden has begged Netanyahu repeatedly, “And don’t attack Rafah—or else I’ll withhold US support for Israel!” A smirking Netanyahu knows that’s an empty threat, even if Biden means it, which—at least on the evidence so far—he does not. This has been the pattern for over half a century. The only US president to force Israel to withdraw from conquered territory was Dwight Eisenhower, who demanded that Israel evacuate the Sinai following the 1956 Suez War.
For more than nine months Israel’s “Over the top” slaughter of civilians, as Biden calls it, has continued with vengeance. Biden and Secretary of State Blinken’s weak protests have gone unheeded. Meanwhile, the US Congress has provided all the money and 2,000 bombs Israel can possibly deliver onto the heads of the defenseless civilians in Gaza.
All along the White House, while counseling restraint, has kept shipping munitions. Netanyahu knows that Congress has already approved funding for the ongoing carnage in Gaza, and that the next shipment of bombs has temporarily been slowed for publicity purposes but will eventually get there anyway. Who is the strongest man in the world? If it’s not Biden, it must be Netanyahu.
*James E. Jennings, PhD is President of Conscience International and Executive Director of US Academics for Peace.
