American Diplomats Caution President Biden’s Middle East Endeavor Amidst the Israel-Hamas Conflict; Middle East Continues To Be A Major Hurdle For Biden Administration

American diplomats in the Arab world have reportedly cautioned the Biden administration about the potential long-term consequences of its strong backing for Israel’s military actions in Gaza.

The Unfriendly Cable
Apparently, a diplomatic cable suggests that officials in Oman warned the administration that the support for Israel’s campaign is causing a significant loss of favour among the Arab public, possibly for a generation.

The cable also highlights concerns among American officials about the negative perception of the United States in the region, seen as bearing material and moral responsibility for what some view as potential war crimes.

The communication from the US Embassy in Oman signalled the urgent need to address messaging issues. The second-highest US official in Muscat authored the cable, which was sent to various recipients, including the White House’s National Security Council, the CIA, and the FBI.

While the cable provides a specific snapshot from one regional embassy, it reflects a broader anxiety over the escalating anti-US sentiment in the Middle East.

Another cable from the American embassy in Cairo conveyed commentary from a state-run Egyptian newspaper criticizing President Biden’s perceived cruelty and disregard for Palestinians, surpassing the actions of previous US presidents.

Joe Biden Under Pressure
The Biden administration has been facing mounting pressure, both domestically and internationally, over its support for Israel amid the visible destruction in Gaza and the worsening humanitarian crisis.

Despite resisting calls for a ceasefire, the administration has been working to increase aid to Gaza and advocate for humanitarian pauses to facilitate assistance and the evacuation of civilians from conflict zones.

In response to the growing concerns, US allies in the Arab world, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, attended a summit where Arab leaders called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. However, the US reiterated its opposition, citing concerns about giving Hamas an opportunity to regroup.

The Humanitarian Concerns
The administration recently announced that Israel had agreed to daily four-hour pauses in military operations in Northern Gaza. While some view this as progress, internal concerns within the administration persist.

Senior officials reportedly are struggling to defend certain aspects of Israel’s military actions, with calls for the US to support a ceasefire gaining traction. At the same time, President Biden has encountered domestic frustration, facing protests and even symbolic gestures near the White House condemning his stance on the conflict.

Several of the United States’ closest Arab allies noticeably distanced themselves from President Joe Biden during his recent diplomatic efforts in the Middle East to prevent the Israel-Hamas conflict from escalating regionally.

The Repercussions
Less than 24 hours before a planned four-way summit in Amman on Wednesday, Jordan, Egypt, and the Palestinian Authority cancelled their meeting with President Biden.

This decision followed a significant explosion at Gaza’s Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians; while Palestinian officials blamed Israel for the hospital blast, Israeli officials attributed it to a misfired Islamic Jihad rocket.

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, expressing dissatisfaction with the summit’s potential to halt the war, referred to the hospital blast as a war crime and announced the decision not to proceed with the meeting.

Upon arriving in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, President Biden met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of the Israeli war cabinet. Biden pledged continued support for Israel, suggesting that the hospital explosion seemed to be the result of actions by entities other than Israel.

The US National Security Council stated on Wednesday that the government currently believes Israel is not responsible for the blast, although it could not be verified the explosion’s cause or the extent of casualties.

The Discontent
Arab leaders are expressing alarm at what they perceive as Washington’s near-total support for Israel in the ongoing conflict.

This sentiment has led them to distance themselves from the Biden administration as anger grows on the Arab street against Israel; notably, since the October 7 attack on Israel by Gaza’s Hamas rulers, at least 3,478 people have been killed in Gaza.

Following the news of the hospital blast on Tuesday, anti-Israel protests erupted in Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Iran, Turkey, and Ramallah in the West Bank.

Arab leaders are also wary of potential domestic protests escalating as images of dead Palestinians circulate with continuous coverage of the Gaza war on almost every Arabic news channel. Jordan, in particular, is susceptible to protests due to a significant proportion of its population claiming Palestinian descent.

Egypt declared three days of mourning for the victims of the Gaza hospital incident. Commentators from the United Arab Emirates, such as Abdul Khaleq Abdulla, have expressed shock at what they perceive as President Biden’s emotional attachment to Israel, criticizing his perceived unwillingness to criticize Israel or halt the bloodshed.

The growing discontent has led Arab states to attempt to distance themselves and neglect meetings with President Biden.
Both Egypt and Jordan, countries bordering Israel and the Palestinian territories, have pushed back against a US plan to establish a safe corridor for Palestinians fleeing Gaza in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.

Jordan’s King Abdullah, emphasizing the displacement of Palestinians as a “red line,” stated that neither Jordan nor Egypt would accept refugees from Gaza. He suggested that any such plan might be an attempt to create de facto issues on the ground, indicating that the refugees may not be allowed to return to their homes.

Arab media outlets have strongly criticized the US suggestion, claiming it aligns with Israel’s interests to depopulate the Gaza Strip and potentially reoccupy it, rendering Palestinians homeless without prospects of return.

Egypt, led by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, has spoken out against moving Palestinians to the Sinai, suggesting that if expulsion is considered, the Negev desert in Israel could be an alternative until Israel completes its operation.

The prospect of Palestinians being expelled from their homes has been denounced by Egyptian newspapers, drawing parallels with the 1948 Nakba, when approximately 700,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled during the Arab-Israeli war; many Gazans are already refugees with ancestors from areas now part of Israel.

During a news conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, President el-Sisi emphasized that Israel, not Egypt, should take in the refugees. He warned that having Gazans in the Sinai could turn the peninsula into a base for anti-Israel militancy, prompting Israeli strikes on Egypt.

Timothy Kaldas, deputy director of the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy in Washington, DC, noted that no Arab leader wants to be seen as facilitating the emptying of Gaza. He highlighted President el-Sisi’s efforts to distance himself from Western partners on this issue, anticipating potential public criticism and anger.

President el-Sisi’s comments followed his foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry, expressing Egypt’s sensitivity about the idea of a refugee influx, questioning the purpose of transferring Palestinians and suggesting that it could be intentional; Kaldas emphasized that even in autocracies, populations have opinions and passions, and this issue has infuriated many in Egypt.

The Last Bit,
President Biden’s Middle East diplomacy faced considerable challenges as Arab allies distanced themselves amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

The cancelled summit, regional protests, and opposition to proposed solutions showcase the intricate dynamics of navigating longstanding tensions in the region.

As the conflict’s toll rises and diplomatic strains persist, the fragile balance between international alliances and domestic sentiments remains a critical factor for both the US and its Arab allies and US will have to play its cards with a lot of caution.