The new Biden administration appeared to signal a shift in U.S. policy towards Israel on Wednesday immediately following Joe Biden being sworn in as the nation’s 46th president.
The Biden administration changed the name of the U.S. Ambassador to Israel’s Twitter account to state, “the official Twitter account of the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza,” which marks a shift away from the Trump administration’s pro-Israel policies.
“The change in title marks a significant shift in policy toward Israel,” The Washington Free Beacon reported. “The United States has for decades declined to take a policy position on the West Bank and Gaza territories, maintaining the Israelis and the Palestinians must decide in negotiations how the areas will be split up for a future Palestinian state. By including Gaza and the West Bank in the ambassador’s portfolio, the Biden administration appears to be determining that neither area is part of Israel—a move that is certain to rile Israeli leaders,” the outlet continued. “The incoming administration’s move also signals that it will elevate the next ambassador’s role to include conducting direct diplomacy with Palestinian leaders, including in the Gaza Strip, where the Hamas terror group maintains control. This is the only ambassador tasked with conducting diplomacy in a region controlled by a U.S.-designated terror group.”
The move by Biden came just shortly after he said during his inauguration speech that he would “repair our alliances and engage with the world once again.” Israel is largely considered to be one of America’s greatest allies and the top U.S. ally in the region.
Critics immediately began pushing back on the move on social media and commentators noted that it likely signaled a shift in U.S. policy toward Israel.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) wrote on Twitter: “The Biden Admin title change for the @USAmbIsrael shows the Democrats’ hostility to Israel. There is no country of West Bank or Gaza, only territories that Israel has been willing for decades to negotiate sovereignty over but has been met with only hostility and terrorism.”
The Biden Admin title change for the @USAmbIsrael shows the Democrats' hostility to Israel. There is no country of West Bank or Gaza, only territories that Israel has been willing for decades to negotiate sovereignty over but has been met with only hostility and terrorism. https://t.co/8TIjQQrxJO
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) January 20, 2021
Author Abhinav Agarwal wrote: “This is what they can do to their closest ally. Now imagine when they set their eyes on India.”
https://twitter.com/AbhinavAgarwal/status/1351965177655136256
Alliance Initiative Executive Director Noah Pollak noted: “But seriously, we’re doing an Ambassador to Gaza? Which is run by a terrorist group that calls for the destruction of Israel and America. Need to be consistent and nominate Ambassadors to ISIS, al Qaeda, and Hezbollah too.”
https://twitter.com/NoahPollak/status/1351970781392039936
TechWatch Vice President Dan Gainor wrote: “Democrats side with terrorists.”
https://twitter.com/dangainor/status/1351964324714180615
National Review writer David Harsanyi wrote: “When Biden said he will ‘repair our alliances,’ he meant the PLO and Hamas.”
https://twitter.com/davidharsanyi/status/1351964117205135364
Trump adviser Boris Epshteyn wrote: “All Jewish Americans who care about @Israel need to pay attention to Biden’s mistreatment of the Jewish State from day 1.”
All Jewish Americans who care about @Israel need to pay attention to Biden’s mistreatment of the Jewish State from day 1. https://t.co/7nIN7vhr2v
— Boris Epshteyn (@BorisEP) January 20, 2021
Journalist Yashar Ali wrote: “Changes already happening. A follower noticed that the US Ambassador to Israel’s Twitter account now says ‘US Ambassador to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza,’ noting that the US under Biden does not recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the West Bank and Gaza.”
Changes already happening.
A follower noticed that the US Ambassador to Israel’s Twitter account now says “US Ambassador to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza”
Noting that the US under Biden does not recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the West Bank and Gaza pic.twitter.com/ZVqviFcFjB
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) January 20, 2021
Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) wrote: “Just a few hours on the job, and the Biden Administration has already made moves to change longstanding policy—of both Republican and Democrat Administrations—toward Israel. This decision should be reversed immediately.”
Just a few hours on the job, and the Biden Administration has already made moves to change longstanding policy—of both Republican and Democrat Administrations—toward Israel. This decision should be reversed immediately. https://t.co/UTi7qDAtyA
— Ashley Hinson (@RepAshleyHinson) January 20, 2021
StopAntisemitism.org commented: “So we’re now dealing with Hamas (the terror grouping that controls Gaza) on a diplomatic level?”
So we’re now dealing with Hamas (the terror grouping that controls Gaza) on a diplomatic level? https://t.co/SlBtXR1s1o
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) January 20, 2021
Townhall editor Guy Benson wrote: “Gaza is run by a terrorist organization.”
Gaza is run by a terrorist organization https://t.co/dbVXGE77xf
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) January 20, 2021
Following the intense backlash that ensued, the Biden administration changed the Twitter account back.
Free Beacon reporter Adam Kredo noted the update: “The official account has been changed back to state only, ‘U.S. Ambassador to Israel.’ Still no explanation from State on what’s happening here.”
UPDATE: The official account has been changed back to state only, "U.S. Ambassador to Israel." Still no explanation from State on what's happening here. https://t.co/52EzEDDnyC pic.twitter.com/MQ6AfsVJFS
— Adam Kredo (@Kredo0) January 20, 2021
This report has been updated to include additional information.