International

Netanyahu faces delicate balancing act in US after Biden exits race

Published

2 years ago

July 23, 2024

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Netanyahu faces delicate balancing act in US after Biden exits race

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits the US this week under pressure to end the Gaza war, from both Israelis and the US administration. How might the political turbulence in Washington shape the trip and future relations?

Mr Netanyahu is set to meet Joe Biden – if the president has recovered from Covid-19 – and address a joint session of Congress, the only foreign leader to do so for a fourth time.

The trip offers him a platform for a reset with Washington after months of tensions over his hardline approach to the war, and an opportunity to try and convince Israelis that he hasn’t undermined relations with their most important ally.

But it is overshadowed by President Biden’s decision not to seek re-election, highlighting political uncertainties about Israel’s next partner in the White House and possibly eclipsing some of the attention on Mr Netanyahu’s visit.

The prime minister got a lot of unwelcome attention in Israel until the moment he boarded the plane.

A drumbeat of protests demanded that he stay home and focus on a ceasefire deal with Hamas to free Israeli hostages.

“Until he has signed the deal that’s on the table, I do not see how he picks up and flies across the Atlantic to address the American political chaos,” said Lee Siegel, one of the family members who has come out to demonstrate. His 65-year-old brother Keith is a captive in Gaza.

The trip is a political move, he added, unless Mr Netanyahu stops being a “hurdle” and signs the ceasefire agreement.

Mr Siegel reflected a widespread view that Mr Netanyahu is slow-rolling the process for his own political reasons, roiling his negotiators when he recently threw new conditions into talks that seemed to be making progress.

The prime minister has been accused of bowing to pressure from two far-right cabinet ministers who’ve threatened to bring down his government if he makes concessions to Hamas.

These perceptions have added to frustrations in the White House, which announced the latest formula for talks and had been expressing optimism an agreement could be achieved.

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Mr Biden remains one of the most pro-Israel presidents to sit in the Oval Office, a self-declared Zionist who’s been lauded by Israelis for his support and empathy, cemented by his flight to Israel just days after the Hamas attacks on 7 October.

But since then, he’s grown alarmed at the cost of Mr Netanyahu’s demand for a “total victory” against Hamas in Gaza.

The administration is frustrated with the Israeli prime minister for rejecting a post war solution that involves pursuing a Palestinian state.

It’s angry with him for resisting appeals to do more to protect Palestinian civilians and increase the flow of aid to them. It’s facing a domestic backlash over the mounting death toll in Gaza. And it’s worried that the conflict is spreading to the region.

As Joe Biden’s presidency weakened in the swirl of controversy over his abilities, analysts said there might be less room for him to keep up the pressure on the Israeli prime minister.

But Mr Biden’s decision to drop out of the race could actually have strengthened his hand, says Ehud Barak, a former Israeli prime minister and a critic of Mr Netanyahu.

“He is not a lame duck in regard to foreign policy, in a way he’s more independent (because) he doesn’t have to take into account any impact on the voters,” Mr Barak told the BBC.

“With regard to Israel probably he feels more of a free hand to do what really needs to be done.”

Mr Barak believes it was a mistake for Congress to invite Mr Netanyahu to speak, saying that many Israelis blame him for policy failures that allowed the Hamas attack to happen, and three out of four want him to resign.

“The man does not represent Israel,” he said. “He lost the trust of Israelis…And it kind of sends a wrong signal to Israelis, probably a wrong signal to Netanyahu himself, when the American Congress invites him to appear as if he is saving us.”

Whatever politics he may be playing, Mr Netanyahu insists military pressure must continue because it has significantly weakened Hamas after a series of strikes against the military leadership.

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In comments before departing Israel, he suggested that would be the tone of his meeting with President Biden.

“It will also be an opportunity to discuss with him how to advance in the months ahead the goals that are important for both our countries,” he said, “achieving the release of all our hostages, defeating Hamas, confronting the terror axis of Iran and its proxies and ensuring that all Israel’s citizens return safely to their homes in the north and in the south.”

He’s expected to bring the same message to congress, “seeking to anchor the bipartisan support that is so important to Israel”.

The reality is that Mr Netanyahu’s polices have fractured that bipartisan support. The Republicans are rallying around him, but criticism from Democrats has grown.

The Democratic Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer caused a small earthquake in Washington recently when he stood up in the chambers and said Mr Netanyahu was one of the obstacles standing in the way of a lasting peace with Palestinians.

“I hope the prime minister understands the anxiety of many members in congress and addresses them,” the former US ambassador to Israel, Thomas Nides, told the BBC at the weekend. He’d been addressing one of the many rallies demanding a hostage release.

That includes “on humanitarian issues and to articulate that this fight isn’t with the Palestinian people, it’s with Hamas.”

It’s a message that Kamala Harris would repeat if she were to become the Democratic nominee. There’d be no change in US policy: a commitment to Israel’s security while pushing for an end to the Gaza conflict and a plan for the Day After embedded in a regional peace with Arab states.

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But there might be a difference in tone.

Ms Harris does not share Mr Biden’s long history with and emotional ties to Israel. She’s from a different generation and “could more closely align with the sentiments of younger elements of the Democratic party,” says Mick Mulroy, a former deputy assistant secretary of defence for the Middle East.

“That’s a stance more likely to include restrictions on weapons, on munitions from the United States for use in Gaza,” he said.

Mr Netanyahu could very well use the visit to steer the conversation from the controversy over Gaza to the threat from Iran, a topic with which he’s far more comfortable, especially after the recent escalation with Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

But his main audience will be domestic, says Tal Shalev, the diplomatic correspondent at Israel’s Walla News.

He wants to revive his image as “Mr America,” she says, the man who can best present Israel to the US, and to restore his image which was shattered by the October 7 attacks.

“When he goes to the US and speaks in front of Congress and [has] a meeting in the White House, for his electoral base, it’s the old Bibi is back again,” she says, referring to the prime minister by his nickname. “This is not the failed Bibi who was responsible for the seventh of October. This is the old Bibi who goes to the Congress and gets the standing ovations.”

It also gives him an opportunity to pursue connections with the former President Donald Trump at a time of great political flux in Washington.

“Netanyahu wants President Trump to win,” she says, “And he wants to make sure that he and President Trump are on good terms before the election.”

There is a widespread view that Mr. Netanyahu is playing for time, hoping for a Trump win that might ease some of the pressure he’s been facing from the Biden administration.

“There is a near-universal perception that Netanyahu is eager for a Trump victory, under the assumption that he will then be able to do whatever he wants,” writes Michael Koplow of Israel’s Policy Forum.

“No Biden pressuring him on a ceasefire or on West Bank settlements and settler violence… There are many reasons to doubt this reading of the landscape under a Trump restoration, but Netanyahu likely subscribes to it.”

The question is whether that pressure from Biden will ease as he steps away from the presidential race, or whether he will in fact use his remaining months in office to focus on achieving an end to the Gaza war.

Netanyahu faces delicate balancing act in US after Biden exits race

BBC

International

Boris Johnson Caught in Russian Drone Strike Scare Near Poland Border

Published

2 hours ago

September 13, 2026

Trends Admin

Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson Caught in Russian Drone Strike Scare Near Poland Border

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was caught up in a major security scare involving a Russian drone attack after a passenger train was struck near Ukraine’s border with Poland, shortly after a diplomatic train carrying him and other European officials had passed through the area.

The incident occurred on Sunday, September 13, 2026, near Yahodyn in Ukraine’s Volyn region, about two kilometres from the Polish border.

Johnson was travelling from Kyiv after attending the Yalta European Strategy conference, where he joined other international political and security figures for discussions on the Russia-Ukraine war and European security.

He was aboard a diplomatic train carrying several prominent European figures, including former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt, as the delegation travelled towards Poland.

The train reportedly passed through the Yahodyn area shortly before a Russian drone struck the locomotive of another passenger train.

The incident triggered heightened security measures in the area, although reports indicate that Johnson was not evacuated from the train and was not injured.

Ukraine’s state railway operator said the diplomatic train had departed the station earlier than scheduled because of security concerns.

A separate passenger train was subsequently targeted by a Russian drone near Yahodyn.

Railway officials said the drone was detected before the strike, allowing emergency procedures to be activated. The drone eventually hit the locomotive, but no casualties were reported.

The railway operator said there was a possibility that the diplomatic train carrying Johnson and other senior officials could have been the intended target. However, Ukrainian authorities have not conclusively established that the delegation was specifically targeted.

Another high-profile passenger in the area was former CIA Director David Petraeus, who was reportedly travelling separately and was also at Yahodyn around the time of the incident.

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The attack has attracted international attention because of its proximity to Poland, which is a member of NATO and shares a long border with Ukraine.

The strike occurred only about two kilometres from Polish territory, raising fresh concerns over the potential for Russia’s war against Ukraine to create security risks along NATO’s eastern flank.

Polish authorities heightened their monitoring of the border area following the attack but there was no immediate indication that the Russian drone entered Polish airspace.

The incident came as Russia launched another major wave of drone and missile attacks across Ukraine.

Ukrainian authorities reported hundreds of drones being used during the overnight assault, with several regions targeted.

The western part of Ukraine has increasingly become a target of Russian long-range attacks despite being located far from the main battlefield.

The country’s railway network has also remained a key target because of its importance in transporting civilians, military equipment, humanitarian supplies and international officials.

Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure, while Moscow maintains that its attacks are directed at military and strategic facilities.

The latest strike also underscored the dangers faced by foreign politicians and diplomats travelling inside Ukraine.

Johnson has remained one of the strongest Western supporters of Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

During his time as British prime minister, he developed close relations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and strongly backed Western military and financial assistance to Kyiv.

Since leaving office, Johnson has continued to advocate greater military support for Ukraine and has repeatedly called for stronger measures against Russia.

Following the latest attacks, he renewed calls for increased air-defence assistance for Ukraine, arguing that Kyiv needs additional capabilities to protect its cities and critical infrastructure from Russian drones and missiles.

The incident also comes amid growing debate over the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine’s defence and reconstruction.

Western governments have frozen hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of Russian central bank assets since the invasion, although questions remain over the legal and financial implications of using the funds directly.

The security scare near Yahodyn is particularly significant because the area is an important transport corridor linking Ukraine with Poland and the wider European Union.

The railway route is regularly used by foreign delegations travelling to and from Kyiv, making it strategically important for Ukraine’s diplomatic engagement with Europe.

The latest attack has therefore raised concerns about the safety of the route as Russian strikes increasingly reach western Ukrainian infrastructure.

Despite the seriousness of the incident, Johnson was not reported to have been injured, and there was no indication that other members of the diplomatic delegation were harmed.

The circumstances surrounding the drone strike, including whether the diplomatic train was deliberately targeted, remain under investigation.

The incident nevertheless provides another indication of how the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to pose security challenges well beyond the immediate front lines, particularly in areas close to NATO territory.

Boris Johnson Caught in Russian Drone Strike Scare Near Poland Border

International

Houthis Launch Fresh Missile, Drone Strikes on Saudi Arabia

Published

12 hours ago

September 13, 2026

Trends Admin

Houthis Launch Fresh Missile, Drone Strikes on Saudi Arabia

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement has launched a fresh missile and drone attack on Saudi Arabia, further escalating tensions as the group expands its military presence along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and moves closer to the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The Houthis said on Sunday that they had fired ballistic missiles and drones at the Sharurah military base in southern Saudi Arabia, claiming the attack targeted weapons depots and command-and-control facilities.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group used a large barrage of missiles and drones in the operation and claimed that the weapons struck their intended targets.

He described the attack as a response to continuing Saudi military operations against Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and warned that further strikes deeper inside Saudi Arabia could follow if those operations continued. Saudi authorities had not immediately confirmed the Houthi claim concerning the Sharurah military base. (Anadolu Ajansı)

The latest claim came shortly after Saudi authorities reported that a projectile had landed in Al-Tuwal governorate in the Jazan region, injuring two people and damaging a mosque and other property.

Saudi Civil Defence said emergency teams responded to the incident and dealt with the damage caused by the projectile. The Jazan attack adds to a series of recent strikes on southern Saudi Arabia as the confrontation between the kingdom and the Houthis intensifies. (Al Jazeera)

The renewed attacks follow a much larger wave of Houthi missile and drone strikes on Saudi territory earlier in the week.

Saudi authorities said at least 73 people were injured in those attacks, which affected cities and economic facilities in the kingdom’s south, including Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran.

The attacks also disrupted operations at some Saudi energy facilities, with fires reported at several sites. The developments have raised fresh concerns about the security of the world’s largest oil exporter at a time when regional energy supplies are already under severe pressure. (Reuters)

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The latest escalation is occurring against the backdrop of a major Houthi offensive inside Yemen.

Houthi forces have rapidly advanced along the country’s Red Sea coast, capturing the strategically important port city of Mocha and moving towards the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Reuters reported that Houthi forces had also reached Perim Island, also known as Mayyun, in the Bab el-Mandeb, after Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces withdrew from the island. Houthi forces were also reported to have taken the mainland coastal town of Dhubab, which faces Perim. (Reuters)

The development is strategically significant because the Bab el-Mandeb Strait is one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.

The waterway connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and provides a major route for commercial vessels travelling between Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

Any sustained Houthi control or disruption of the waterway could therefore affect international shipping, energy supplies and global trade.

The threat is particularly serious because the Strait of Hormuz, on the opposite side of the Arabian Peninsula, is already severely disrupted by the wider conflict involving Iran and the United States.

The simultaneous pressure on both maritime corridors could create major challenges for global energy markets.

Reuters reported that the Houthi advance has already increased concerns over Saudi oil exports, while oil prices have risen sharply amid fears that the conflict could disrupt additional supply routes. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia has increasingly relied on routes through the Red Sea to export crude after disruption around the Strait of Hormuz.

That makes the Houthi advance towards the Bab el-Mandeb particularly sensitive for Riyadh.

The Houthis have indicated that their maritime restrictions are focused on vessels linked to Saudi Arabia, while the group’s growing military presence around the strait has raised wider concerns about freedom of navigation.

The United Nations has warned that the developments in Yemen represent a potentially more dangerous phase of the conflict.

UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg told the Security Council that the Houthi advance towards the Bab el-Mandeb was creating serious concerns over navigation and the broader security situation.

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The Houthi movement has defended its operations as acts of self-defence and said its attacks would stop if attacks against Yemen ended.

Saudi Arabia, however, has accused the Houthis of deliberately targeting civilian and economic infrastructure and has vowed to protect its territory and vital national assets.

The current escalation is particularly significant because Saudi Arabia and the Houthis had largely avoided direct large-scale cross-border attacks following the 2022 UN-brokered truce.

That period of relative calm helped reduce violence along the Saudi-Yemeni border, although a comprehensive political settlement to Yemen’s war was never reached.

The latest fighting threatens to undo that progress.

The conflict also has a wider regional dimension because the Houthis are closely aligned with Iran, while Saudi Arabia remains a key US partner in the Gulf.

The United States has accused the Houthis of acting as an Iranian proxy, while Tehran has called for dialogue and rejected the idea that the Yemen conflict can be resolved through military action.

US President Donald Trump has meanwhile said the Houthis had contacted his administration and indicated that they wanted to avoid direct US involvement in Yemen. Trump has also spoken with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman amid the worsening regional crisis. (Reuters)

The latest Houthi advances have placed Washington in a difficult strategic position.

According to Reuters, the group’s growing presence around the Bab el-Mandeb could threaten another major international shipping route while US military resources are already stretched by the wider conflict with Iran. (Reuters)

For Saudi Arabia, the immediate challenge is preventing further missile and drone attacks on populated areas, military installations and energy infrastructure.

The kingdom has increased security measures around vulnerable locations and has repeatedly warned that it will defend its territory and strategic assets.

For international markets, however, the biggest concern is the possible impact on oil supplies and global shipping.

The Bab el-Mandeb is a crucial route for ships travelling through the Red Sea towards the Suez Canal. A prolonged disruption could force vessels to take longer routes around Africa, increasing fuel consumption, freight costs, insurance premiums and delivery times.

The latest developments are therefore being closely watched by shipping companies, energy traders and governments around the world.

The Houthi military advance along Yemen’s Red Sea coast has also displaced civilians and deepened concerns over the country’s already severe humanitarian crisis.

The renewed fighting threatens to create further displacement and make the delivery of humanitarian assistance more difficult.

For Saudi Arabia, the attacks represent the most serious direct Houthi threat in years.

For the wider region, the combination of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, the group’s advance towards the Bab el-Mandeb, and continuing instability around the Strait of Hormuz could create a new and more dangerous phase of the Middle East conflict.

The immediate situation remains fluid, with the Houthis threatening further attacks while Saudi Arabia maintains its right to respond.

The latest missile and drone strikes therefore mark more than another exchange between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. They are part of a rapidly expanding regional crisis with potential consequences for Middle East security, oil prices, maritime trade and global energy supplies.

Houthis Launch Fresh Missile, Drone Strikes on Saudi Arabia

International

Sanders Urges Trump, Xi to Halt AI Race, Ban Superintelligence

Published

13 hours ago

September 13, 2026

Hamdalat Bisiriyu

Sanders Urges Trump, Xi to Halt AI Race, Ban Superintelligence

Bernie Sanders is pushing for an international response to the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, urging Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to discuss limits on the technology when the two leaders meet.

The US senator believes Washington and Beijing should work towards a treaty that would stop the development of artificial superintelligence and temporarily slow the advancement of increasingly powerful AI systems.

Sanders’ latest intervention comes amid a growing debate within the technology industry over whether AI development is moving faster than safety measures can keep up.

Dario Amodei, chief executive of Anthropic, recently called for companies to deliberately pace the development of frontier AI. He argued that increasingly capable systems could advance at a rate that makes them harder for humans to understand and control.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has backed Amodei’s call for stronger independent evaluation, while Elon Musk has also reiterated his long-standing concerns about the risks associated with advanced AI.

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Sanders said these warnings should prompt governments to act rather than leave decisions about the future of AI solely to technology companies.

His position is consistent with legislation he announced earlier this month alongside Representative Greg Casar. The proposed Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act would permanently prohibit superintelligent AI and impose a temporary pause on advanced AI development until safety rules are put in place.

The senator has pointed to recent AI-related cybersecurity incidents and concerns about self-improving systems as evidence of the need for stronger safeguards.

For Sanders, however, the issue goes beyond regulation of individual companies. He wants the US and China to cooperate internationally, arguing that a superintelligent system capable of operating beyond human control would pose a global risk regardless of where it was developed.

With Trump and Xi expected to discuss AI during their upcoming engagement, Sanders is pressing both governments to make the question of controlling advanced AI a priority.