Officials of the Biden administration are expressing misgivings that an incoming far-right Israeli minister of defense will not suit the Middle East agenda of the White House. This report by Axios demonstrated how the US is concerned over its waning influence in the Middle East.
New Israeli Government a Threat to Biden Administration
A senior member of the US government spoke to the outlet that many bilateral relationships will be determined by who gets power in the incoming government. This adverse reaction was prompted by the chance Bezalel Smotrich might be chosen, reported Middle East Eye.
The leader of the Religious Zionism political alliance might be the minister of the new coalition.Smotrich is a rightist MP, and his group is the third most powerful in the parliament, in negotiations with ex-prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and concerned parties. The new government will take power in less than four years after the fifth election. He was initially mentioned by Israel's Channel 12 as a possible candidate for finance or defense minister, citing the Times of Israel.
One of the party members, Itamar Ben-Gvir, asked for the position of public security minister role; as head of police forces. But the defense minister is one of the top posts in government; because of their influence over the conduct of policies of the occupation forces of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
There's been alarm both within Israel and internationally at representatives of religious Zionism trying to join the government, with the supposed candidate being a far-right Israeli minister of defense. The group is the heir to the forbidden Kach party and has ideological connections to the Jewish Defense League and an institution banned like a terrorist group in multiple nations, such as the Biden Administration.
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It wants the greater imposition of more Jewish religious laws, which are called racist, anti-Arab, contra-homosexuality, and non-democratic, as remarked by the Anti-Defamation League.
US officials stated publicly that the administration is unlikely to work cooperatively with Ben-Gvir in the aftermath of Religious Zionism's substantial electoral victory last November 1. Before the election, during one trip to the US last month, Biden discussed similar issues with Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
US Middle East Agenda Could Be Affected
Based on reports, the US government did not mince its words that heads of rightist parties would be the senior officials. It would be damaging to Washington and Jerusalem.
Last Wednesday, Herzog told party representatives during a meeting at his place and mentioned Ben-Gvir had caused great concern if he became a minister.
According to RT, Defense Minister Benny Gantz contends that Israel lacks the manufacturing capacity and should support Ukraine by giving it air defense systems. To defend against drones, Kyiv has kept asking for the shipment of the Iron Dome and other systems that it claims Moscow obtained from Iran.
He told the press last Tuesday that production is not enough for export because of insufficient production facilities. Also, he was readying for the post of the incoming defense chief to be chosen by PM Benjamin Netanyahu. The Biden administration considers against its interest in the Middle East agenda because Jerusalem will not be in lockstep.
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