intelligence believes that the kingdom’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, likely approved the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S.-based writer for the Washington Post who was critical of the regime. The treatment of journalists will also be a focal point when Biden visits Saudi Arabia. The murky outcome led to more anger than clarity. An analysis overseen by the United States suggested that she was shot by Israeli soldiers who were conducting a raid nearby, but it stopped short of drawing a definitive conclusion. Lapid is a caretaker prime minister serving while Israel braces for another round of elections later this year.īiden will likely be confronted with more fallout over the death of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed two months ago. The Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the occupied West Bank, has grown increasingly unpopular and autocratic in recent years. But it’s unlikely that there will be an opportunity to prod either him or Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid to reopen talks. Israel blames the continuing conflict on Palestinian violence and the refusal of Palestinian leaders to accept past proposals that it says would have given them a state.īiden plans to visit with Mahmoud Abbas, the head of the Palestinian Authority, in Bethlehem during his trip.
Now Israel is calling for increasing sanctions to pressure Tehran into agreeing to a more sweeping accord.Īnd there are increasing doubts that a two-state solution is even possible at this point because Israel has spent decades expanding settlements that are now home to hundreds of thousands of Jewish settlers. It didn’t like that the agreement limited Iran’s nuclear enrichment for only a set period of time, nor did it address Iran’s ballistic missile program or other military activities in the region. Israel, which is widely believed to be the only nuclear-armed state in the region but does not acknowledge having such weapons, was opposed to the deal. Biden wants to rejuvenate the nuclear deal that was reached by President Barack Obama in 2015 and abandoned by Trump in 2018, but negotiations appear to have stalled. Israel views Iran as its greatest threat, and Sunni Arab countries consider Shiite Iran as a dangerous competitor for regional power.Ī key question is finding the best way to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, which it’s believed to be closer than ever to achieving. The threat of Iran is one of the primary incentives for Israel and Arab countries to work more closely together, and the issue will likely be a top focus for Biden’s meetings. John Kirby, a national security spokesman for the White House, said the nascent military partnership is intended to foster a regional air defense system that could protect against Iranian ballistic missiles and drones. military’s Central Command, which oversees operations in the region. In addition, there’s already a surge in security cooperation being presided over by the U.S. Although no one expects Israel and Saudi Arabia to announce formal diplomatic ties during Biden’s trip, more incremental steps could be taken, such as allowing Israeli commercial flights to cross over the kingdom en route to other countries nearby. Under President Donald Trump, Israel normalized relations with countries such as the United Arab Emirates through the Abraham Accords.
The itinerary is a reflection of friendlier relationships between Israel and its Arab neighbors, a tectonic shift that is reshaping the region’s politics.
president to travel directly from Israel, his first destination, to Saudi Arabia, his last stop before returning to Washington. With the American wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in the rearview mirror, the United States is reassessing its role in the region at a time when its focus has shifted to Europe and Asia.Ī look at some of the major issues that will be at play during Biden’s travels.īiden will become the first U.S. WASHINGTON (AP) - President Joe Biden will confront a kaleidoscope of challenges when he travels to the Middle East this week, his first trip there since taking office.
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