The Biden administration is reportedly crafting a “January surprise” that could severely undermine Israel at the United Nations, echoing the actions of the Obama administration in 2016. According to Michael Doran, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and a former senior director in the U.S. National Security Council, Biden’s team is preparing a move modeled directly on U.N. Resolution 2334, which labeled Israeli settlements beyond the 1967 Green Line as illegal.
Speaking on his podcast on Dec. 31, Doran detailed how the administration is poised to declare Israel in violation of U.S. law by allegedly blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza. This finding, rooted in Section 620(i) of the Foreign Assistance Act, could lead to U.N. action against Israel, even if Biden personally waives immediate penalties. The resulting diplomatic fallout, Doran warned, would deliver a severe blow to Israel’s international standing, with the administration effectively signaling its disapproval while publicly maintaining plausible deniability.
“Obama delivered a parting kick to Netanyahu in 2016 by allowing U.N. Resolution 2334 to pass without a veto,” Doran said. “It painted large swathes of Israel, including the Western Wall, as occupied territory. Biden’s team is preparing to do the same.”
According to Doran, the Biden administration’s approach mirrors Obama’s tactic of letting other nations spearhead the resolution, while the U.S. abstains, enabling hostile international actors to take the lead. Algeria or Slovenia are expected to introduce a new resolution condemning Israel, which the Biden administration may either quietly support or abstain from vetoing at the Security Council.
“The administration wants to have it both ways,” Doran explained. “They will find Israel guilty of obstructing aid to Gaza but will waive the consequences, signaling to the U.N. and other international bodies that the U.S. stands aside as Israel faces censure.”
The fallout, Doran warned, could cascade into the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice, and the European Union, all of which could leverage the U.S. finding to justify further action against Israel.
Key figures in the administration, including USAID chief Samantha Power, deputy secretary Kurt Campbell, and U.N. envoy deputy Ned Price, are reportedly driving the effort. Others, such as National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, are described as undecided, while a minority within the administration, including Middle East advisers Brett McGurk and Amos Hochstein, are pushing back.
“There are two camps fighting over this inside the administration,” Doran said. “The question is whether Biden and Blinken will sign off on it.”
Doran further noted that the incoming Republican-controlled Congress and Donald Trump’s potential return to the White House could disrupt or reverse the administration’s plans. Trump previously stood by Israel against U.N. resolutions and brokered several historic peace agreements in the region.
The reported scheme underscores deepening divisions within the Biden administration over Middle East policy, with some officials pushing for harsher measures against Israel while others urge caution.
Critics argue that such a move risks alienating Israel, one of America’s closest allies, while emboldening hostile actors in the region. “This isn’t just about Israel,” Doran cautioned. “It’s about projecting weakness to Iran, Hezbollah, and others who see U.S. equivocation as a green light.”
