President Biden Is Building A Strong Pro-Israel Democratic Party

     As we speak, President Biden is in Israel. This is not his first time in the nation; as a matter of fact, it is his tenth. He has known every Israeli leader since Golda Meir, who I am proud to say grew up right here in Milwaukee, and has long been among Israel's most vocal defenders. 

     More than words, President Biden is delivering action. When he entered office, his predecessor had signed agreements between Israel and Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates and negotiated agreements between Israel and Morocco and Sudan. President Biden, and, more specifically, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, immediately began reviewing the latter two agreements with plans to hold a signing ceremony in the near future. Formalizing his predecessor's actions is not something concrete, but the further expansion of relations certainly is, as is the negotiation of a new agreement with Saudi Arabia, possibly the most significant agreement that can be reached in this process. Just as he landed in Israel and as he prepares to visit Saudi Arabia this weekend, Saudi Arabia announced it would open its airspace to Israeli flights, which is the most visible first step toward the full normalization of relations.

     In March 2022, Secretary Blinken attended the historic Negev Summit, which led to the launch of the Negev Forum, a key forum for cooperation between Israel and other Middle Eastern states on issues like peace and security, tourism, clean energy development, and much more. The United Arab Emirates and Israel negotiated a free trade agreement that they unveiled in May 2022. President Biden partnered with India, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates to launch the I2U2 cooperation on issues like economic growth and clean energy while he and Israel signed the Jerusalem Declaration to reaffirm their friendship. The United States is on track to negotiate a maritime agreement between Israel and Lebanon to ensure for peaceful transit between their waters. If this can be achieved, it sets the stage for future dialogue: Lebanon and Israel already attempted to normalize relations in 1983, an attempt that ultimately failed. Because of the previous willingness by both parties to negotiate on normalization and their present willingness to negotiate on other matters, this seems like a perfect opportunity to negotiate the normalization of relations between Israel and Lebanon. There are plenty of other opportunities, as well. With Iraq criminalizing Israeli normalization, it seems like now would be a good time for Kuwait to consider normalizing relations with Israel. Indonesia, Malaysia, Algeria, Bangladesh, Qatar, and Oman are within the realm of possibility, as well; at least in my view.

     The 11-day conflict between Israel and Palestine in May 2021, one that was thankfully resolved with the assistance of the Egyptian government, highlighted the need for Israeli defense. On his trip to Israel, President Biden toured the Iron Beam, a brand new military technology that Israel is deploying that uses lasers capable of shooting down rockets, missiles, drones, and virtually every other projectile Israel's adversaries are capable of subjecting it to. This is in part thanks to $4.8 billion in security assistance the United States has provided Israel since President Biden took office, more at this point in his administration than any president in U.S. history.

     Of course, true and lasting peace cannot happen without a two-state solution. That's why President Biden restored engagement with the Palestinian Authority, that's why he will be visiting the West Bank on this trip, and that's why the administration has delivered humanitarian aid at a record pace. However, some have tried to use my party to betray Israel, to toss aside the pretense of peace and replace it with the ugly head of anti-Semitism. That has never been allowed to succeed, and it never will. With the most pro-Israel Democrats in the country serving as president and Senate majority leader, President Biden has been able to use his influence to defeat anti-Israel candidates in primary elections. These efforts have paid off: under President Biden, American support for Israel has skyrocketed to new highs as it becomes clearer each day that Israel is an opportunity to near global peace and harmony, not a political pawn. 

     President Biden is working to ensure peace and stability around the world, from securing truces in Ethiopia and Yemen to ending the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to bringing America's Guantanamo Bay detention camp closer to closure to working to restore the Iran Nuclear Deal, rejoining the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Agreement, expanding NATO and signing historic legislation to support Ukraine, deepening ties across North and South America at the Ninth Summit of the Americas, hosting a historic Summit for Democracy, bolstering global food security, combatting the existential threat of climate change, producing a New Atlantic Charter, launching alliances like AUKUS and Partners in the Blue Pacific to combat China, providing the world with a billion COVID vaccines, taking out the leader of ISIS and key subordinates, and countless other key achievements in foreign policy. Throughout it all, President Biden has made one thing clear: America's support for Israel is as unwavering as the courage of the Israeli people.