Netanyahu in US under cloud of corruption charges, as Biden steps down for 'national interest'

The contrast could not be more stark: Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives in Washington harried by corruption allegations, while US President Joe Biden said he will step aside in November's election in favour of Kamala Harris for the sake of the 'national interest'.

Biden's letter on Sunday announcing his withdrawal from the upcoming presidential race follows a series of blunders that led to questions about his ability to lead the country for a second term.

His announcement on Sunday led many to soften their criticism of Biden, who saw his decision as an effort to minimise the chances of Donald Trump winning the election, whose victory would likely pull the US further to the right and rupture the country's image worldwide.

The Economist's Gregg Carlstrom pointed out that Thursday's meeting between scandal-ridden Netanyahu and Biden could be quite awkward given the president's 'noble' stance while the Israeli premier clings on to power.

"Standing down because the public wants you to and you're putting the national interest above your own: Biden will certainly have something to talk about with Netanyahu on Wednesday," he tweeted.

The Israeli press has rounded on Netanyahu, who has done everything in his power to cling on as prime minister - including allying with far-right leaders who have contributed to the country's growing isolation on a global stage - while Biden makes a relatively dignified exit from the world stage, despite the blowback over his uncritical support for Israel during the war on Gaza saw him dubbed 'Genocide Joe'.

US-based Israeli journalist Etan Nechin wrote an op-ed for Haaretz daily this week titled 'Biden Just Showed Why He's the Leader Netanyahu Could Never Be' contrasting the public service-oriented spirit of the US president compared to the Israeli premier who is accused of breach of trust, accepting bribes, and fraud in three corruption cases.

The left-leaning newspaper followed with an analysis entitled 'Netanyahu's Visit to an Otherwise Occupied America Is Nothing but Narcissistic Politicking', in which it described it as a "ballyhooed trip" and a rare opportunity for the prime minister to use the eye-wateringly expensive Wing of Zion private jet.

Back in Israel, a court recently announced that Netanyahu must begin his testimony by December, despite his legal team's efforts to delay the hearing until next year citing the ongoing war on Gaza as a reason, while the International Criminal Court (ICC) could issue an arrest warrant for the prime minister over his forces' conduct in the besieged enclave, where over 39,000 people have been killed.

Anti-corruption protests in Israel calling on Netanyahu to resign have since 7 October transformed into an anti-government movement to bring Israeli hostages held in Gaza home with the prime minister blamed for failing to compromise with Hamas and make this happen.

In the US, pro-Palestinian protests - including by Jewish groups - have lined the streets of Washington DC as Netanyahu's motorcade travels to meetings with the president and a controversial speech at Congress on Wednesday.

The Washington visit comes after rare criticism of Israel from the US, despite it providing Netanyahu's forces with most of its weaponry in the devastating war on Gaza but rattled the Israeli government when it delayed the export of some heavy bombs following mass outrage over civilian deaths.

The dispute over this, and other elements of US policy over the past nine months, saw even hardline supporters of the Gaza war chastise Netanyahu, accusing him of unnecessarily escalating the dispute with Washington for the sake of appearing a strongman following the security failures of 7 October.

Amid this existential crisis for Israel, opposition figures such as Benny Gantz have positioned themselves as the alternative leaders for the country while efforts to oust him could intensify if Harris is elected president and takes a harder line against Israel's mass slaughter in Gaza.