Bibi-Biden / Bibi-Trump: Big Difference

I have heard Israelis express disappointment that Bibi did not wait for the official results before congratulating Biden on his win, thinking that the legal challenge to the results may reverse them and Trump ends up being sworn in for a second term. Ever the consummate politician, I have the feeling Bibi knows exactly what he is doing. I want you to consider something before thinking that Bibi made a faux pas that will bite him in the butt should it turn out that Trump actually won. Let us compare Bibi's announcement the day after the 2020 elections and the announcement a few days after the 2016 elections: Here is what Bibi's said yesterday (8 Nov) at the Knesset podium. This message was posted in English in two separate tweets. First this:

Congratulations @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris. Joe, we’ve had a long & warm personal relationship for nearly 40 years, and I know you as a great friend of Israel. I look forward to working with both of you to further strengthen the special alliance between the U.S. and Israel.

— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) November 8, 2020

immediately followed by this one:

Thank you @realDonaldTrump for the friendship you have shown the state of Israel and me personally, for recognizing Jerusalem and the Golan, for standing up to Iran, for the historic peace accords and for bringing the American-Israeli alliance to unprecedented heights.

— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) November 8, 2020

Now let us recall how gushing and effusive Bibi was the day after the 2016 elections in the United States: https://www.facebook.com/Netanyahu/photos/a.376960237075/10154086548912076/ Here is the message in English that follows the Hebrew on the Facebook post above:

I congratulate Donald Trump on being elected the 45th President of the United States of America. President-elect Trump is a true friend of the State of Israel, and I look forward to working with him to advance security, stability and peace in our region. The ironclad bond between the United States and Israel is rooted in shared values, buttressed by shared interests and driven by a shared destiny. I am confident that President-elect Trump and I will continue to strengthen the unique alliance between our two countries and bring it to ever greater heights.

And then, on 20 Jan 2017, Bibi again congratulated Trump: In yesterday's post Bibi never mentions the presidency. One is almost left wondering what Bibi is congratulating Biden and Harris for. If the official results declare that Biden is the next president of the United States, you can be sure that Bibi will acknowledge that, but for now he has not given anything away. His nod to Biden is quintessential diplomacy and Bibi is nothing if not Mr. Diplomacy. I have no doubt that should Trump turn out to get another term, this will have done nothing to the Trump-Bibi relationship. Feature Image Credits: All photos are in the public domain, found on Wikipedia.