U.S. President Joe Biden speaks to the media after the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., Tuesday.Credit: Craig Hudson/Reuters

In Chicago, the president pounded the lectern with his fist, fiercely and with conviction: “We’re working around the clock to … surge humanitarian health and food assistance into Gaza … and finally, finally, finally deliver a cease-fire and end this war,” he said with uncharacteristic pathos. But a few hours earlier, Blinken had moved to do exactly the opposite: He fell in line with Netanyahu, acting as a consummately dishonest broker, ensuring that the war and the atrocities will continue and saying no to a cease-fire and to the return of the hostages.

The American surrender to Netanyahu caused this. The distance between Biden’s rhetoric and Blinken’s diplomacy could not be greater or more painful.

Not that the secretary of state does not share the lofty goals put forward by the president. But what happened during his visit here is nothing less than astonishing: Israel said what it thought the outline should be, and the United States toed the line in order to say that Israel agrees, so it could blame Hamas and buy quiet until the November election.

Less than two days have gone by, and the optimism the United States sprinkled like confetti was replaced by reports that the talks had stalled. Perhaps America wanted an agreement, but it did everything possible to thwart it. It sang high praise for a deal, but did not even consider putting genuine pressure on Israel – with actions, not words.

And so the near-eternal question, which has no answer, arises: What is going on here? What is behind the puzzling behavior of the United States? Who here is the superpower and who the client state?

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken after his arrival in Tel Aviv on Sunday.Credit: AFPè

Either America does not want war in Gaza and is horrified by its destruction – and in this event it knows exactly what it must do and how to pressure Israel effectively – or it wants war. Judging by its behavior, America wants war and genocide. Its hands are already soaking in the blood of Gaza. The hands are the hands of Israel, but the weapons are MADE IN THE USA, as is the diplomatic support – this too is unconditional.

Biden is approaching the end of his term in near-spectacular fashion, and he will be remembered as a benevolent president. He can also boast of numerous accomplishments; the war in Gaza is not among them. It will be counted against him forever. He could have stopped it long ago. He did not, and even now, when everything is already hopeless, he lets Blinken surrender to Netanyahu’s demands.

Destruction in the Gaza Strip, this month.Credit: AFP

Someone who opposes a war does not arm one of the sides to the teeth. Someone who wants to end a dangerous and unjust war ends the weapons supply or at least conditions it on measures that will lead to its end. Someone who wants to stop a war also does not use its veto power to protect those who want to continue it to the end of time. Someone who arms and shields wants the war to continue. Biden’s moving words, which were surely sincere, are meaningless when this is the arms supply and assistance policy of his administration.

Blinken should have adhered stubbornly to the original outline. The current proposal, according to reports, allows Israel to resume the war after a brief lull, not to release dozens of prisoners and, most important, does not remove the IDF from the Strip. There is no agreement without all of these, and it is impossible to demand that Hamas agree to this. That’s not how you end a war, that’s how you inflame it, Mr. President. You betrayed the exalted values in which you surely continue to believe.

Gideon Levy