In a visit slated for Wednesday to Saturday, Biden will go to Israel first, then stop by to meet Palestinian leaders in the West Bank before heading to the Saudi city of Jeddah to see the crown prince and other Arab leaders gathered for a regional summit. Food security, another hot-button issue thanks to the war, is also on the agenda.īut for Israeli leaders, the U.S.-Saudi meeting offers something else - hope that Washington can fix its broken relations with Riyadh and nudge it to join other Arab capitals that have established historic diplomatic ties with Israel in recent years. Perhaps most urgent: Biden needs the oil-rich Gulf Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, to help lower skyrocketing energy prices caused by Russia’s war on Ukraine, a move that would indirectly boost Kyiv, which is worried about waning international support as the conflict bleeds on. officials hold responsible for the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, among other abuses. And Israel’s turbulent politics - the country is heading into its fifth election in less than four years - has made Biden and his deputies reluctant to pick fights with its leaders.īiden has several reasons to grit his teeth and see the young Saudi prince, the country’s de facto ruler, whom U.S. officials as well as outside observers say. president’s desire to avoid domestic political blowback and reduce America’s exposure in the Middle East has empowered aides, such as veteran national security hand Brett McGurk, who tend to push policies preferred by Israel and like-minded Arab states that effectively downplay human rights, three current and former U.S. hopes for a Palestinian state, the Israeli government has directly or inadvertently scored what it considers a string of political and policy victories since Biden took office. From the failed revival of the Iran nuclear deal to the effective shelving of U.S.

Saudi arabia mocks joe biden