US President Joe Biden visits Saudi Arabia on Friday with three main topics on his agenda.
Biden is expected to hold bilateral talks with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He will participate on Saturday in a Gulf summit that includes leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council, in addition to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, King Abdullah II of Jordan, and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi.
The priorities of the US-Gulf talks include confronting Iranian threats, ending the Yemen war, and dealing with the energy crisis.
Biden is seeking to reassure the Gulf States about his administration’s efforts to revive the nuclear agreement, and is heading to announce the establishment of an expanded security alliance to confront Tehran’s threats and destabilizing activities.
The US president will also discuss ways to stabilize the fragile truce in Yemen in his talks with the Saudi leadership, and reach a permanent ceasefire that will pave the way for peace.
Moreover, he is hoping to persuade the Gulf States to increase their oil production to lower prices.
- Confronting Iranian Threats -
Hours before his arrival in Jeddah, Biden will visit the West Bank and Augusta Victoria Hospital, located on the Mount of Olives in East Jerusalem. He is expected to announce a $100 million aid package to fund the Jerusalem Hospital Network.
He will also hold bilateral talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
A senior US official told reporters on Wednesday that the Biden-Abbas talks would focus on enhancing Palestinian economic opportunities, including developing 4G capabilities in both Gaza and the West Bank.
Biden spent 48 hours in Israel and the West Bank, where he held a bilateral meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, during which he discussed ways for the United States to support Israel’s security and prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb, as well as strengthening security efforts in the region and preserving the two-state solution.
The meeting saw the signing of the “Jerusalem Declaration”, which reaffirms the solid ties between the two countries and expands the long-term security relations between the United States and Israel. It also includes a clear commitment to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and to confront Tehran’s destabilizing activities.
The declaration supports the Abraham Accords and the expansion of Israel’s integration into the region, addressing global challenges from food insecurity to the Ukraine war. A senior US official confirmed that the Biden administration provided Israel with $4.8 billion to enhance its security, including $1 billion to renovate the Iron Dome, especially after the missile strikes launched by Hamas in May 2021.
The official stressed that Biden and his team coordinated with the Israeli government efforts to counter Iran’s aggression and activities.
“The door is open to diplomacy. If Iran wants to sign the deal that’s been negotiated in Vienna, we have been very clear we are prepared to do that. At the same time, if they are not, we will continue to increase our sanctions pressure. We will continue to increase Iran’s diplomatic isolation,” he told reporters in a press briefing.
- The Two-State Solution -
On Thursday, the US president met with many Israeli officials, including Lapid, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Biden said that in his talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, he stressed his continued support for the two-state solution, as the best way to ensure “a future of freedom, prosperity, and democracy for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”
But at the same time, he ruled out achieving this result “in the short term”.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed that Biden would not present any proposal to resume talks between the Israeli and Palestinian sides during this visit.
