Biden says US would use force as ‘last resort’ to prevent Iranian nuclear weapons
President Joe Biden attempted to repair ties with Palestinians before heading to Saudi Arabia in the final leg of his four-day trip to the Middle East.
Without a clear path for jumpstarting peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, the president offered $100m as a balm while visiting a local hospital today.
After meeting Palestinian authority president Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem, Mr Biden is expected to fly to Saudi Arabia for a highly-anticipated meeting with the Saudi king and crown prince. The visit will be closely watched amid tensions over energy supply, human rights and security cooperation.
The trip is also designed to reset the US’ relationship with a country he once pledged to make a “pariah” on the world stage.
Ahead of the visit, Saudi announced that it would open its airspace to all air carriers, paving the way for more overflights to and from Israel. Mr Biden described it as a historic and important step towards building a more integrated and stable Middle East.
