Biden Didn’t Kneel in Obedience to Rivlin

Layne Radlauer

Politics

15th July 2021

Biden Didn’t Kneel in Obedience to Rivlin

Biden was actually kneeling to Rivka Ravitz (Getty Images).

The Claim

U.S. President Joe Biden knelt in front of former Israeli President Reuven Rivlin while pledging unconditional support.

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Emerging story

Following Biden’s visit to Israel, pictures of him kneeling to former Israeli President Rivlin started circulating on social media.

A supporting image within the article body

Some websites wrote articles claiming that Biden was pledging allegiance to the Israeli president.

Misbar’s Analysis

While this image is real, Biden isn’t kneeling towards Rivlin - he’s actually kneeling towards Rivlin's chief of staff, Rivka Ravitz.

Furthermore, Biden wasn’t doing so out of loyalty to Israel. He was doing it as a joke after learning that Ravitz is the mother of 12 children. As Israeli journalist Yossi Ellituv’s tweet notes, she is ultra-orthodox in her religious practices and has a prestigious role in government.

Biden’s visit to Israel came at the very end of Rivlin’s term. During the visit, he declared that he intends on strengthening the ties between Israel and the U.S. Perhaps this explains why some people thought he was kneeling in support of Israel.