Wall Street Journal: Biden officials increasingly bystanders as Israel plows on

The Wall Street Journal reports on the state of Israeli-American relations amid the regional conflict.

The paper says the Biden administration’s influence over Jerusalem appears to be waning, with Israel increasingly taking actions against its adversaries against the wishes and positions of US officials.

It says US leadership is partly hamstrung by the coming election, reluctant to take a more assertive stance against Israeli steps that it fears could lead to regional escalation, as these could harm Democrats politically.

“Biden and his team frequently find themselves looking like bystanders, unwilling or unable to rein in an ally they continue to back politically and provide with critical military support,” it says.

At the same time, the report notes that the administration is conflicted, and officials “aren’t unhappy” with Israel’s significant gains against Hezbollah.