Remember what Robert Gates wrote in his 2014 memoir about Joe Biden's foreign-policy acumen? “I think he has been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades,” Gates concluded.

Well, good news: Biden's streak remains unbroken. Last week, Biden demanded that Israel unilaterally declare a 6-8 week cease-fire in Gaza without even mentioning the hostages held by Hamas. In doing so, Biden gave Hamas a clear signal to remain firm on its maximalist demands, and to hold the hostages—including at least five Americans—indefinitely.

Biden lashed out at Benjamin Netanyahu for his “mistakes” in continuing the fighting, but the vast majority of Israelis support both the war and an assault on Rafah to destroy Hamas. For that matter, the vast majority of Americans do as well, and two-thirds in a recent Harvard-Harris poll oppose any cease-fire in which Hamas does not release all the hostages.

Here's a better proposal: Biden should shut up for six to eight weeks about Israel.