US presidential election: despite its relationship with Trump, Israel is playing it safe
Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump.
(illustrative image) MANDEL NGAN / AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
Donald Trump is acclaimed for a policy deemed pro-Israel: the recognition of Jerusalem as the country's capital, of the settlements in the West Bank, Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
Benjamin Netanyahu called Donald Trump "the best friend" Israel has ever had in the White House.
But the Israeli Prime Minister has refrained from taking sides in the American electoral battle.
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With our correspondent in Jerusalem,
Guilhem Delteil
During a telephone conversation last week, Donald Trump spoke to the Israeli Prime Minister, asking him if in his opinion, Joe Biden could have obtained, like him, the opening of
negotiations between Israel and Sudan
.
Trump: “Do you think Sleepy Joe could have made this deal, Bibi, Sleepy Joe?”
Israeli PM Netanyahu: "Uh ... well ... Mr. President, one thing I can tell you is we appreciate the help for peace from anyone in America."
pic.twitter.com/LU02tEOXtK
The Recount (@therecount) October 23, 2020
The exchange wanted to be quite complicit on the part of the American president.
Because if the two countries are long-time allies, their alliance was strengthened under the Trump-Netanyahu era, believes Denis Charbit, professor of political science at the Open University of Israel.
“
Even the famous special relationship from 1967 to 2016 is nothing compared to the past four years.
It's a romance novel.
Never can I remember, we have seen a country, as regional power as it is, to be able to ask its protector, that's all I want you to do and the other does.
"
At the other end of the line, Benyamin Netanyahu still showed a little embarrassment and finally replied that he appreciated "
everyone's peace efforts in the United States
".
“
He was very diplomatic, perhaps because he feels that things are not won and that he may pay dearly if it is Biden who passes,
analyzes Denis Charbit.
And then it's still part of the rhetoric of not intervening in internal affairs.
"
The answer was probably not the one hoped for by Donald Trump who pouted a little.
But the proximity between the two men does not erase a reality: Israel wants above all to preserve its friendship not with a president but with the United States.
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To read also:
American presidential election: Palestinian leaders hope for Biden's victory
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Israel
United States
Donald trump
Joe biden
Benjamin Netanyahu