As the incoming Biden administration continues to assemble its national security and defense teams, observers in Israel have assessed that the tight military cooperation between the United States and Israel looks assured to continue in the years to come.
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"When I look at the bilateral cooperation on security, intelligence, weapons, doctrine, and maneuvers, I don't see any changes," Professor Eytan Gilboa, an expert on American-Israeli relations and a senior research associate at Bar-Ilan University said.
"But on strategic issues, there could be some disagreements over Iran. However, I don't see those affecting the other areas of bilateral strategic cooperation."
America and Israel look set to continue improving weapons together, conduct weapons testing and development, and hold routine joint exercises in the coming years, he added. "And the reason for that in my judgment is simply benefit."
With the two countries sharing the same core interests, it should be clear to observers that Israel is "giving benefits back to the US," said Gilboa.
"I've always opposed the description of it as US aid. It's more of an investment. So I think this bilateral cooperation will continue."
However, when it comes to Iran, there are signs of potential strategic disagreements that are already visible. Biden's nominee for Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his choice for National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan are strongly motivated to prove that US President Donald Trump was wrong to leave the Iranian nuclear deal. This motivation could translate into an acceptance of some Iranian conditions.
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Israel opposes the removal of sanctions on Iran, but it must not find itself removed from the negotiations process with Iran as it was under Obama, Gilboa cautioned.
"Sullivan conducted secret negotiations [in 2013] and took Israel completely out of the picture. This time, I think Israel must make sure it participates and that it doesn't just attack any intentions by the Biden administration to do anything with Iran. Rather, Israel should insist on being a participant in the process itself."
Reprinted with permission from JNS.org
