As the contours of U.S. President Joe Biden’s foreign policy become increasingly apparent, doubts about his commitment to resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict continue to grow. And those doubts raise an urgent question: Can anyone fill the diplomatic vacuum the United States leaves behind?
To be sure, Biden has moved quickly to reverse some of his predecessor’s more egregious policies. Less than a week after Biden’s inauguration, his administration announced its intention to restore U.S. relations with the Palestinian leadership and restart aid to Palestinian refugees. It also re-committed to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
But such tepid pledges — together with Biden’s apparent reluctance to call Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu — don’t reflect the level of interest or dedication that would be needed to push the two sides toward a lasting peace. Clearly, America’s leaders believe they can get away with paying only lip service to the two-state solution.
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