Some Americans may have been relatively indifferent to the news, but its implications, especially for Israel, are dramatic. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to tread carefully in his speech to Congress, under the watchful eyes of Harris, the designated successor.
The most predictable outcome turned out to be the most surprising. As I strolled along Connecticut Avenue in Washington, a political earthquake of stunning magnitude shook D.C. Joe Biden, the youngest person ever elected to the Senate and who spent fifty years holding key positions in the world's most important city – including its highest office, the President of the United States – unexpectedly withdrew from the 2024 presidential race.
My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it's been the best… pic.twitter.com/x8DnvuImJV
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024
It was unexpected because, even minutes before Biden released his resignation letter, members of Congress and senators were still advocating for his continued candidacy, and his advisers claimed he wouldn't withdraw. The New York Times even reported that Biden would not withdraw before his scheduled meeting with Netanyahu on Tuesday, "so as not to give him the pleasure." This Democratic spin also turned out to be false, and it wasn't the only one.
Regardless, while news studios broke the news, and notifications flooded my phone, the surrounding streets showed no drama. Two passersby I asked for their reactions seemed bewildered. They didn't really know what the guy with the kippah, who introduced himself as an Israeli journalist, was talking about.
Many Americans are not as addicted to news as Israelis are, and there have been times when news from America spread in Israel long before it was widely known here. In short, in the initial minutes, it didn't seem like they were aware of the drama.
What's certain is that America's crazy election cycle is only becoming even more extreme. Less than four months before the election, the Democratic Party loses its incumbent president as its candidate. This has never happened before. Facing them is a Republican candidate who just survived an assassination attempt, seen by his supporters as a messenger of God, but trailing a string of scandals that alienate many potential voters.
Into these massive political storms, Benjamin Netanyahu will arrive on Tuesday. He is the most popular non-American politician in the U.S. On the one hand, Netanyahu's visit at this timing seems misplaced. What's the relevance of a speech by the Israeli Prime Minister during a war?
On the other hand, for better or worse, Netanyahu is an American domestic player, and the Democrats are well aware of his influence on American public opinion. Having been burned by his 2015 speech, Netanyahu will be even more cautious now, especially with a new and not very familiar leader to Netanyahu, Vice President Kamala Harris, stepping to the forefront of the Democratic Party.
Netanyahu knows that especially in this highly sensitive timing, any slight mistake could play into the hands of one of the political sides. Even in the calmest routine, Washington's House of Cards is a minefield. All the more so now.
In the Israeli diplomatic circles, a scenario where Kamala Harris takes over the campaign and even becomes President has been pre-emptively examined. Harris comes from the progressive wings of the Democratic Party and has taken a tough stance regarding Israel during the war months. On the positive side, her years in the Senate saw her casting pro-Israel votes.
Harris's Jewish husband, Douglas Emhoff, who has served as the "Second Gentleman" for the past three years, could also play a positive role if needed. Emhoff hasn't commented on Israeli matters, but in recent years he has led White House efforts to curb the wave of antisemitism in the U.S. Perhaps this Jewish spark will play a role in the future.
In this volatile atmosphere, the most important thing Netanyahu can do, and is expected to do, is to tell the American people the truth about the war. A speech before both houses of Congress, interviews with the American media, and meetings with senior officials here, primarily Harris, are unparalleled opportunities to present Israel's case.
In the end, amidst all the chaos in America, presenting the truth about Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, the Iranians, and all other Jew-murdering terrorists is Israel's top interest, even when America is in the midst of an unprecedented political tornado.
