Joe Biden has not changed much in US policy over Israel and Palestine.
Ever since taking the office as US president, Joe Biden was not expected to alter Washington’s approaches towards Israel and Palestine. His long years as Vice President during Obama years and his robust remarks clarified his stance over one of the most controversial issues in the modern world.
For Biden, as is the case for many other American politicians, Israel is a crucial existential matter. Joe Biden, according to sources familiar with his opinions, believes that were there no Israel, Washington would have to create one to fill the void.
However, a lot of people had thought that the US president may undo some of the actions taken by Donald Trump that had further aided Israeli illegal measure. Human rights were to be the focal point of Biden’s international policy, as announced during his presidential run and early administration.
However, campaigners for human rights believe that the former Vice President has so far fallen short of keeping his minimal commitments to Palestine. The present US stance remained more similar to that of his predecessor than the Obama years.
Former administration’s decision to relocate the US embassy to Jerusalem was possibly the most significant of all his policy changes. The 2018 action effectively endorsed Israel’s aspirations for the Jerusalem in its entirety as its capital by the Washington.
After seizing the city in the six-day war, Israel had unlawfully annexed East Jerusalem 13 years later. The decision was met with fury by the Palestinian people and unanimously deemed “null and void” by the United Nations.
However, a bipartisan chorus of politicians and leaders in Washington applauded the decision. Before moving the embassy, Trump proclaimed Jerusalem out of question following a weak opposition by the Arab world.
Joe Biden Policy; No Serious Change
Biden never gave moving the embassy back to Jerusalem any thought. While employing unclear terminology to define how it regards East Jerusalem, the White House has treated Jerusalem as Israeli capital during Biden’s presidency.
East Jerusalem, for instance, is included in the chapter on Israel in the yearly nation report on human rights. The report does, however, contain the following disclaimer: “Language in this report is not meant to convey a position on any final status issues to be negotiated between the parties to the conflict.” The study goes on to explain that the precise limits of Israeli authority in Jerusalem and the borders separating Israel from a potential Palestinian state are still up for debate.
Three years ago, Trump closed the American consulate for Palestinians in Jerusalem and merged its operations with the Israeli embassy there. The measure signaled Washington’s repudiation of the Palestinians’ rights to the city.
Biden had pledged to restore the Jerusalem consulate while running for office. However, the decision has not realized more than eighteen months into his presidency.
According to US authorities, they remain committed to reopening the diplomatic mission in Jerusalem. Biden and his closest advisers have, however, refrained from overtly facing Israel, which opposes the restoration of the consulate.
The office of the Palestinian Liberation Organization in Washington, which was shut down by former government in 2018, has also been kept closed under the new government. The policy has been influenced by domestic opposition to the move from both parties.
Apart from the diplomatic disputes, Joe Biden faces accusation over loads of other issues regarding Palestine. Assisting Israeli violence while cutting aids for Palestinians, normalization, ties with Palestinian groups, and settlement dispute are other main issues.
