One of Israel’s staunchest allies exited the White House on Monday. The question is: Will Israel truly miss Joe Biden? While he proudly identified as a Zionist and provided critical security support, his presidency will ultimately be remembered as a series of failures in the Middle East. Yet, paradoxically, it may be Israel’s right-wing that feels his absence most acutely. After all, no other president allowed Israel to act with such freedom.
From the beginning, Biden stumbled. Just days after taking office, on February 6, 2021, he removed the Houthis from the list of terrorist organizations – a move reversed a year later. Shortly after, on February 19, 2021, he lifted sanctions on Iran, assuming that goodwill would foster reciprocity. It didn’t.
The nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic was signed in 2015 by then-President Barack Obama, but Trump withdrew from it in 2018. Many analysts, including in Israel, argued this withdrawal encouraged Tehran to accelerate its nuclear program. That’s incorrect. The sanctions’ impact was dramatic. Hassan Rouhani, then Iran’s president, admitted in late 2019 that renewed sanctions had caused Iran $200 billion in economic damage. By the end of 2020, Iran's foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, declared that the damage had risen to $250 billion.
Thus, the funds released by Biden's miscalculation, enabled Iran to pour resources into its proxies: Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and others. The nuclear program, too, gained momentum – not because of Trump’s withdrawal from the nuclear deal, as some claim, but thanks to Biden’s appeasement policies.
Biden speaking about Iran
(Video: Reuters)
While chants of "From the river to the sea" echoed on U.S. campuses, the Israeli government effectively became an enabler of the protesters’ one-state vision. Bezalel Smotrich may have a different vision, but his policies align with the goals of Israel’s detractors. And where was Biden? Where was the Democratic administration? Nowhere to be seen or heard. Past administrations, both Republican and Democratic, tried to curb settlement expansion. Biden’s administration, however, presided over more outpost constructions than any other.
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In 2023 alone, a record 31 illegal outposts were established. As Israel grappled with one of its most challenging wars in 2024, that number doubled to 60, including seven in Area B – territories earmarked for a Palestinian state under Trump’s plan. While activists abroad chanted “From the river to the sea,” Israel’s government seemed to pave the way for a one-state reality, fulfilling its critics' vision. Past U.S. administrations, Republican and Democrat alike, worked to slow settlement expansion. Under Biden, settlement growth exploded.
And yet, Biden also played the role of the stern protector. After October 7, he issued his famous “Don’t” to Iran, Hezbollah, and others, warning against intervention. But his words carried little weight. Hezbollah acted regardless. Iran launched missiles. The Houthis ignored American strikes. Even Israel disregarded Biden’s warnings about Rafah.
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President Joe Biden at the Hanukkah reception at the White House
(Photo: Rod Lamkey, Jr. / AP)
Joe Biden’s presidency was marked by weakness, appeasement and miscalculation. Yet, his unwavering support for Israel cannot be denied. While his policies emboldened radicals, his commitment to Israel’s security was steadfast. Biden’s legacy is complicated, but one thing is clear: The Israeli right owes him more than it may ever admit.