This week in Jerusalem?

The power players, latest policy developments, and intriguing whispers percolating inside the West Wing.

Oct 16, 2023 View in browser   By Jonathan Lemire, Lauren Egan and Lawrence Ukenye Welcome to POLITICO’s West Wing Playbook, your guide to the people and power centers in the Biden administration. With help from producer Raymond Rapada Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Eli | Email Lauren The likelihood of President JOE BIDEN making a trip to Israel this week has become so pronounced that, after his scheduled stop to Colorado was canceled today, there was immediate speculation he was already en route to the Middle East. He wasn’t. The White House offered proof that Biden remained at home via a tweet later Monday, showing him meeting with his security team in the Oval Office. But internal deliberations over a trip to Israel are still happening, according to four administration officials granted anonymity to discuss them. Local news in Israel is reporting it could be later this week. And Biden has told aides he’s interested in going. Those aides are now weighing a number of concerns. On top of the list is just the sheer volatility of the situation. Some in the West Wing believe that if Biden was to go, he would need to complete his trip before Israel follows through on its planned ground invasion of Gaza. That battle, some aides warn, would be a highly problematic backdrop for any visit. The fight could be bloody and brutal, with urban warfare stretching from block to block. It could also endanger the hostages being held in Gaza and could draw other actors — like Iran or Hezbollah — into a widening conflict. That would mean that a trip, if one is taken, would have to happen soon. But there are other factions inside the administration who don’t think that would be wise, or that Biden is under much pressure to do it. Some of the president’s top advisers believe he has weathered some of the early political blowback tied to the crisis and proven his commitment to Israel. A trip to the region, they believe, would be unnecessary and politically risky. Those advising against a trip also speculate that it would be a gift to BENJAMIN NETANYAHU. The Israeli prime minister is under immense scrutiny for the intelligence failures that precipitated Hamas’ attacks and may be looking to polish his image by cozying up to Biden, who is receiving wide praise in Israel. The go-there camp inside the administration doesn’t downplay the risks. But they believe a trip would demonstrate further global leadership and could yield political benefits next fall, particularly after Biden's chief Republican rival, DONALD TRUMP, was forced to backtrack from his criticisms of Netanyahu and praise of Hezbollah he made days earlier. White House aides note Biden has made daring trips before, namely to Kyiv in February, as the war with Russia raged. That visit was considered by many aides to be one of the highlights of his presidency. The 80-year-old Biden has also traveled elsewhere to the region — visiting both Poland and Lithuania — as demonstrations of the United States’ commitment to defending democracies worldwide. Back in February, the U.S. communicated to Russia to not interfere with the trip, and Moscow, perhaps mindful of an American reprisal, did not try to stop the president, though air raid sirens did go off as Biden and VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY walked the streets of Kyiv. Hamas would presumably feel little to no constraints. Biden’s presence in the region could be deemed provocative by Hamas or its allies, officials noted, and they may increase the frequency of their attacks. The danger was underscored Monday when Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN and his traveling party, including reporters, had to seek shelter when air raid sirens went off in Tel Aviv. Biden has traveled to Israel once before as president, journeying in July 2022 on a Middle East swing that also included a stop in Saudi Arabia. His relationship with Netanyahu, though it goes back decades, is not close, and the U.S. president was sharply critical of what he believed was the Israeli leader’s anti-democratic efforts recently to weaken his nation’s judiciary. Still, it was Netanyahu who invited Biden to visit when the two men spoke on Saturday. The ball is now in Biden’s court. MESSAGE US — Are you ABE DUNDERDALE, associate director of presidential scheduling? We want to hear from you. And we’ll keep you anonymous! Email us at westwingtips@politico.com. Did someone forward this email to you? Subscribe here!    PLAYBOOK IS GOING GLOBAL! We’re excited to introduce Global Playbook, POLITICO’s premier newsletter that brings you inside the most important conversations at the most influential events in the world. From the buzzy echoes emanating from the snowy peaks at the WEF in Davos to the discussions and personalities at Milken Global in Beverly Hills, to the heart of diplomacy at UNGA in New York City – author Suzanne Lynch brings it all to your fingertips. Experience the elite. Witness the influential. And never miss a global beat. BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION. SUBSCRIBE NOW.     POTUS PUZZLER Which president was nicknamed “the Great Humanitarian?” (Answer at bottom.) The Oval ‘HORRIFIC ACT OF HATE’: Biden said he was “shocked and sickened” by the fatal stabbing of a 6-year old Muslim boy in Illinois on Sunday, our KIERRA FRAZIER reports. “As Americans, we must come together and reject Islamophobia and all forms of bigotry and hatred,” he said in a statement. The Justice Department announced they are investigating the killing of WADEA AL-FAYOUME, the child who was stabbed to death by JOSEPH M. CZUBA, a 71-year old Illinois man. “Hate has no place in America,” Vice President KAMALA HARRIS said in a statement of her own. “We unequivocally condemn hate and Islamophobia and stand with the Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim American communities.” TROLLSOCIAL: Biden’s campaign plans to launch an account on TruthSocial, former President Donald Trump’s social media platform, Fox News’ BROOKE SINGMAN reports. “There’s very little ‘truth’ happening on TruthSocial, but at least now it’ll be a little fun,” a senior Biden campaign aide told Fox. Or as deputy campaign manager ROB FLAHERTY put it: “a thing about campaigns is sometimes you just do things for the lolz.” GREEN GROUPS SPENDING GREEN: Advocacy group Climate Power plans to spend $80 million on ads to showcase Biden’s environmental record and the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act, the New York Times’ REID J. EPSTEIN reports. The upcoming spots not only aim to introduce voters to Biden’s policies — which polling suggests the public isn’t aware of — but contrast them with Trump’s who frequently rejected climate science. "We need to make sure that the Biden coalition, the folks who got him into office in 2020, sees that he’s delivered on his promises," LORI LODES, executive director of Climate Power, said. "And he has." WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE WANTS YOU TO WATCH: This clip of LESLEY STAHL’s “60 Minutes” interview with AMIR TIBON, an Israeli reporter who survived Hamas’ attack on his kibbutz. In the interview, Tibon thanked Biden for the “incredible speech” he gave last week in support of Israel. “I thank him for showing that he’s got our back,” Tibon said. “When I heard him speak, I felt the love. And we need love in this country right now.” Deputy press secretary ANDREW BATES shared the clip on X. WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE DOESN’T WANT YOU TO READ: This piece by WSJ’s STEPHEN KALIN, SUMMER SAID and FATIMA ABDULKARIM about how the administration’s efforts to open Gaza’s border crossing with Egypt have fallen flat so far. Although civilians on Monday waited at the border for food, water and medical supplies in anticipation of a deal, Egypt has refused to open its borders because Israel hadn’t provided assurances that they would pause airstrikes, the reporters write. The effort comes as Secretary of State Antony Blinken has visited capitals throughout the Middle East to ensure regional humanitarian needs are met. THE BUREAUCRATS PERSONNEL MOVES: BETH INGALLS is now director for counterterrorism strategy at the National Security Council. She most recently was a division chief at the State Department, where she has worked for almost two decades. — ANNALISE MYRE is now special assistant to cabinet affairs at the White House. She most recently was an intern in that office. Agenda Setting FIRST IN WEST WING PLAYBOOK: Democrat-aligned health group Protect Our Care on Tuesday will launch its "Medicare Autumn" campaign aimed at informing seniors about the changes to Medicare from the Inflation Reduction Act, the organization — in a savvy PR move — told us exclusively. The program will include a van tour across the country to tout several of the administration's programs, including its push to lower prescription drug prices and cap the monthly price of insulin at $35. “The new provisions could save Medicare enrollees thousands of dollars a year, with even more savings down the road,” BRAD WOODHOUSE, executive director of Protect Our Care, said in a statement. Think you can feed us a better scoop? Go ahead and try. FADING FUEL: As the war in Israel risks disrupting global oil supplies, the Biden administration may be forced to tap into the already-depleted Strategic Petroleum Reserve, our BEN LEFEBVRE reports. Last year, the administration released over 40 percent of the reserve to contain rising fuel prices following Russia’s invasion into Ukraine, leaving reserve levels at its lowest since the 1980s. “Still, the reserves’ diminished volumes limit Biden’s options to respond to a future shock to the oil markets, including those that could result from a widening of the war in the Middle East,” Ben adds. What We're Reading Can White House Diplomacy Help Prevent Escalation in Gaza and Beyond? (New Yorker’s Bernard Avishai) What Happened to Kamala Harris? (Jill Filipovic for Slate) POTUS PUZZLER ANSWER President HERBERT HOOVER earned the nickname for providing food to occupied parts of Belgium during World War I. Hoover founded the Commission for Relief in Belgium and worked with the Wilson administration to feed 10 million civilians for five years. Thanks to the Hoover Presidential Foundation for this question! A CALL OUT! Do you think you have a harder trivia question? Send us your best one about the presidents, with a citation or sourcing, and we may feature it! Edited by Eun Kyung Kim and Sam Stein.   DOWNLOAD THE POLITICO APP: Stay in the know with the POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. The sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don’t miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need. DOWNLOAD FOR iOS – DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID.       Follow us on Twitter Lauren Egan @Lauren_V_Egan Myah Ward @MyahWard Lawrence Ukenye @Lawrence_Ukenye   Follow us

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