Israel is the only “western country” where Biden is less popular than Trump, even though his Middle East policy looks a lot like his predecessor’s – “the nuclear deal is out, the Saudis are in, and human rights are down”. And Israel is, once again, front and centre. If you thought his trip to Saudi Arabia is about Saudi Arabia or oil, think again. The main aim of his trip is to increase Israel’s security and deepen its integration in the region.

True, Biden is not the first president to spoil Israel rotten, but there is something much more bizarre about Biden’s relationship with Israel. It is sort of a sado-masochistic relationship – the greater the abuse the bigger the schmooze.