JERUSALEM, Israel – The recent public disagreement between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy drew criticism from Democratic lawmakers, sparking comparisons to how Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama treated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Critics argue that Netanyahu faced unfair treatment.
Media reports suggest that former Presidents Obama and Biden publicly humiliated Netanyahu. Unlike Zelenskyy, Netanyahu didn’t receive the same level of support from European leaders and mainstream media.
Dan Diker, president of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, told Digital, questioning why the international media, European powers, and social networks showed less sympathy towards Israel and Netanyahu during the Obama and Biden administrations, especially considering the criticism and humiliation Netanyahu faced during White House visits. This contrasts sharply with the widespread international sympathy for Zelenskyy after his clash with President Trump and VP Vance.
Diker recalled Obama’s 2010 dismissal of Netanyahu’s delegation at the White House and the Biden administration’s pressure campaigns on Israel to concede to American demands, which were widely publicized.
Both Ukraine and Israel are fighting against anti-democratic regimes. Israel has been engaged in a multi-front war against Iranian proxies since October 2023, while Russia invaded Ukraine over three years ago, seizing territory. Both nations face existential threats.
However, the public outcry following the dispute with Zelenskyy was not matched when Biden and Obama verbally attacked Netanyahu, sometimes using strong language.
Following the 2024 State of the Union address, Biden was overheard saying he and Netanyahu would have a soon.
Biden warned Israel that an invasion of Rafah would cross a “red line,” which Israel defied by held by Hamas in Rafah.
After Israel entered Rafah, Biden reportedly called Netanyahu
Biden Netanyahu “a pain in my a–” and said “he’s been killing me lately.”
According to Politico’s Jonathan Martin, Biden described Netanyahu as
Biden’s criticism of Netanyahu continued concerning Israel’s actions against Hezbollah and Iran. The U.S. government considers Hezbollah a terrorist organization and Iran the leading state sponsor of terrorism.
Reuters journalist Bob Woodward’s book, noting Biden frequently accused Netanyahu of lacking a strategy and exclaimed “Bibi, what the f—-?” after Israeli strikes near Beirut and in Iran.
Experts on U.S.-Israel relations contend that the Obama administration laid the groundwork to undermine Netanyahu and create “daylight” between the U.S. and Israel.
Obama for photographers during Netanyahu’s 2010 White House visit and held a private dinner without him, considered a breach of protocol.
When questioned about his relationship with Netanyahu, , “I think that he is dealing with a very complex situation in a very tough neighborhood. And what I have consistently shared with him is my interest in working with him — not at cross-purposes — so that we can achieve the kind of peace that will ensure Israel’s security for decades to come.
“And that’s going to mean some tough choices. And there are going to be times where he and I are having robust discussions about what kind of choices need to be made.”
Critics noted that the Obama administration often used anonymous officials to convey Obama’s opinions. In 2014, Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic reported that an unnamed Obama administration official called Netanyahu “chickens—” regarding peace negotiations with the Palestinians.
The strained relationship between Obama and Netanyahu peaked at the end of Obama’s term in December 2016. Netanyahu described Obama’s alleged abandonment of Israel at the UN, allowing the Security Council to censure Israel, as
The 2016 U.N. Security Council resolution condemned Israel for building Jewish communities in the West Bank, referred to in Israel as Judea and Samaria.
Netanyahu’s speeches to the U.S. Congress in 2015 (opposing Obama’s Iran nuclear deal) and in 2024 (defending Israel’s war against Hamas) angered the Obama and Biden administrations.
Eugene Kontorovich, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told Digital that Democrats resented Netanyahu for disagreeing with Obama’s policies. He suggests that Zelenskyy’s public disagreements with President Trump and VP Vance should be viewed similarly. However, President Trump has indicated a willingness to re-engage.
‘ Kristine Parks and Reuters contributed to this report.