US Democrats suspect Netanyahu of meddling in American elections

Representatives of the Democratic Party in the United States are expressing concerns that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may seek to influence the upcoming American elections, particularly targeting the votes of Jewish and Arab American citizens.

The Hill reports that Democrats are wary of Netanyahu’s potential impact on the electoral race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, per Caliber.Az.

The publication cites Senator Chris Murphy (Democrat from Connecticut), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who indicated that “it is quite possible that the Israeli government will not sign any diplomatic agreement before the American elections as a potential means of trying to influence the outcome.”

The article notes a significant decline in support for the Biden administration compared to 2020 when President Biden received backing from 59% of Arab-American voters. This drop has heightened concerns among Democratic lawmakers.

A senior Senate Democratic aide corroborated Murphy's comments, remarking that Netanyahu has long been known for his “meddling” in U.S. politics. The unnamed official stated, “I don't doubt for a minute that Bibi is not just doing this to influence domestic elections. I think he thinks he can influence the Jewish vote, but he can also influence the Arab American vote.”

Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have pressed Netanyahu for nearly a year to negotiate a cease-fire deal, with U.S. officials claiming that the Israeli prime minister largely agreed to one privately before later backing away. Instead of de-escalating tensions in the region as Biden had requested, Netanyahu's government has intensified the situation. This included the killing of a top Hezbollah commander in Beirut in July and the alleged assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, in Tehran.

Last month, Israel escalated its offensive against Hezbollah by detonating explosives inside pagers and walkie-talkies controlled by the militant group, resulting in the deaths of 32 people and injuring nearly 3,000 others. This was followed by an Israeli airstrike in Beirut last week that reportedly killed Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and several members of his inner circle.

Israel then ratcheted up its offensive again by launching a ground offensive into southern Lebanon on Tuesday and followed that with an airstrike on a medical centre in central Beirut on October 3, prompting the Lebanese government to accuse Israel of targeting civilian infrastructure.

Biden responded warily to last week’s strike on Nasrallah, calling his death “a measure of justice for his many victims,” including hundreds of Americans killed by Hezbollah over four decades.

But the president reiterated that “ultimately, our aim is to de-escalate the ongoing conflicts in both Gaza and Lebanon through diplomatic means,” noting his administration is pursuing a cease-fire deal in Gaza that would include the release of hostages, as well as a broader peace deal “that would return people safely to their homes in Israel and Southern Lebanon.”

Asked on October 5 if an Israeli ground invasion into Lebanon would be inevitable, Biden told reporters: “It’s time for a cease-fire.”

By Tamilla Hasanova