In the aftermath of Joe Biden’s visit to Israel, tensions in the region have escalated, marked by widespread Arab street protests.
A former Pentagon adviser has told Sky News that protests put Arab leaders in a delicate situation.
Jasmine el Gamal said the leaders could have been a part of the solution but now “have very, very little room to manoeuvre and means to stop the escalation”.
This is concerning for the US president, she says, because he “needs to get Arab and the Palestinians on side. And that is much harder if casualties are mounting and we’re seeing these demonstrations”.
A further strain on diplomatic efforts was the cancellation of the proposed summit with Mr Biden and the Egypt, Palestinian and Jordanian leaders after the hospital bombing.
While Mr Biden expressed steadfast support for Israel, she said, his failure to empathise equally with Palestinian suffering has aggravated the situation, leaving many feeling overlooked.