Biden's Middle East Challenges: Israel-Palestinian Peace, Strikes, and Political Risks

President Biden, focused on countering China and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, did not prioritize the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, opting not to appoint a special envoy or task his secretary of state with forging an agreement. Biden's minimalist approach neglected the Palestinians, as he did not reverse Trump-era decisions that downgraded diplomatic ties and loosened guardrails on Israeli settlement activity. Efforts to reopen a U.S. consulate in East Jerusalem were met with Israeli opposition, and Biden's failure to take action on these issues has harmed American credibility in the Arab world. It remains to be seen if Biden will push harder for a lasting peace agreement, but his challenge appears greater than ever.