MIDDLE EAST (Washington Insider Magazine) – How has Biden’s Middle East trip stacked up in the face of rising global tension?
President Joe Biden has shown great commitment to strengthening relationships with reaffirmed Middle East allies as he concludes his first trip to the region as President.
President Biden kicked off his global tour of countries and consultations as president of the United States. During the journey, Biden spoke directly with Arab leaders at a summit in Jeddah about his plans to remain active with engaged allies. Here are some key takeaways from the trip:
Biden praises Israel
Throughout the trip, the president made a series of pronouncements reaffirming his commitment to protecting Israel’s security & sovereignty, as well as his support for the country. This comes as a surprise to some, as Isreal’s conflict with Palestine has been a controversial talking point in the West–even after several one-off attacks and issues.
Biden also stated multiple times that he was a Zionist (an individual who supports the Jewish identity), and also said that the connection between the U.S. and Israel was “bone-deep.”
As Biden continued to praise Israel, he did not make any comments or criticisms regarding Isreal’s ongoing conflict with Palestine.
The conversation changed to a more neutral tone as Biden arrived in occupied East Jerusalem. The President never directly criticized Israel, but he did make comparisons between the troubles of Palestinians to those of Irish Americans under British rule.
The comparison was inspired by the President’s background as an Irish American.
The President then pledged $100 million in aid towards hospitals that served Palestinians in Jerusalem.
Israel opposes agreement
A key motivation for reviving the relationship with Middle Eastern allies is to revive the Iran nuclear deal but the nation opposes the agreement.
That said, by the end of Biden’s Middle East trip, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid and Biden joined forces against Tehran, the capital city of Iran–signing a joint declaration that would never allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.
The agreement is instated under the condition that the U.S. remains committed to Israel’s security.
Biden pushes for normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel
During his visit, Biden pushed for normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel though Saudi Arabia officials have rejected normalization with Israel while a viable Palestinian state is absent.
Recognizing the tensions between both countries, Biden proposed normalizing simple gestures that would allow officials to remain civil without fully establishing a positive diplomatic relationship.