Like his presidential predecessors, Joe Biden continues to confront a dilemma in the Middle East.
President Joe Biden is abroad this week, commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day with a warning about the risks to democracy around the world. His trip comes at a crucial time for the U.S., as he is dealt challenges from China, Russia, and Iran.
Like many of his presidential predecessors, Biden faces an ongoing crisis in the Middle East, much of which currently stems from Israel and the war in Gaza. The president has begun approaching the war with what Thomas L. Friedman, who has covered the Middle East for more than 40 years, refers to as “the Biden Doctrine.” Accordingly, Biden has told Israel that they face three major challenges: how to exit Gaza while also establishing improved security in the area; the continued conflict with Palestine in the West Bank; and a regional conflict with Iran.
“The answer to all three questions is some kind of partnership with legitimate Palestinian authority,” Friedman said last night on Washington Week With The Atlantic, referring to Biden’s strategic thinking for Israel. “It gives you a partner to get out of Gaza, it gives you a partner for future negotiations, and it’s the cement for a regional alliance against Iran.”
Discussing Israel, the state of the Middle East, and more, Thomas L. Friedman, a foreign-affairs columnist at The New York Times, joins the editor in chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, on a special edition of Washington Week with The Atlantic.
Watch the full episode here.
