Biden officials secretly plotted to force Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu out of power to secure a ceasefire deal — but the former president himself pulled the plug at the last minute, exposing deep fractures in U.S.-Israeli relations.
At a Glance
- Biden and Netanyahu’s mistrust fueled escalating diplomatic clashes
- White House aides discussed ousting Netanyahu through election pressure
- Biden vetoed the plot, revealing internal administration division
- Ceasefire talks collapsed amid blame game between Biden and Netanyahu
- Major diplomatic efforts like Saudi-Israel normalization were derailed
Deep Mistrust Shatters a Historic Alliance
The U.S.-Israel relationship was once defined more by suspicion than solidarity. Former U.S. Ambassador Tom Nides summed up the dysfunction bluntly: “Biden didn’t really trust Netanyahu. Netanyahu, I mean, come on everybody, he’s a survivor, a manipulator… Biden saw all of that,” Fox News reports.
Long before the current Gaza war, Biden bristled at Netanyahu’s judicial reforms and far-right coalition. As Brookings Institution noted, tensions brewed over fears that Israeli democracy itself was under siege — setting the stage for today’s full-blown breakdown.
Secret Plot to Oust Netanyahu Revealed
In an explosive twist, Israeli media reports claimed Biden administration insiders seriously discussed a plan to push Netanyahu into early elections by turning up pressure during failed ceasefire negotiations. Key Biden advisor Ilan Goldenberg reportedly endorsed the plan, believing Netanyahu stood between Gaza peace and perpetual conflict.
Yet, astonishingly, Biden himself ultimately blocked the scheme, exposing internal White House rifts over how far to go in confronting America’s traditional ally. That such a plot was even entertained highlights just how toxic the relationship has become.
See viral reactions to the story at NY Plaid’s tweet.
Ceasefire Talks Collapse into Finger-Pointing
Ceasefire negotiations became a brutal blame game. Previous Secretary of State Antony Blinken insisted Hamas was stonewalling, but other diplomatic sources disputed this, suggesting Hamas accepted a UN-backed ceasefire proposal — and Netanyahu sabotaged it by introducing new conditions. As one retired U.S. ambassador revealed, “There are currently three ceasefire deals on the table and Hamas isn’t responding to any of them,” per International Policy Digest.
Meanwhile, a former Israeli security official accused the Biden team of staging a “shameful attempt to rewrite history” by blaming Hamas rather than Netanyahu for the collapse of peace efforts.
Historic Fallout and Dangerous Precedent
The U.S.-Israel split threatened major strategic goals, including the Biden administration’s once-grand vision of Saudi-Israel normalization. Military cooperation has also frayed, with Netanyahu forging ahead in Rafah against American warnings.
While U.S.-Israel ties have endured past rifts — like Gerald Ford’s 1975 “reassessment” — the recent feud was fueled by something even more corrosive: personal vendettas and active meddling in each other’s domestic politics. As Brookings warned, the precedent set could have destabilized future administrations for decades. But with Biden now out of office, the alliance that once anchored U.S. Middle East policy seems to be on firmer ground.
