President Biden kicked off a 4 days visit to one of the most important regions for the US “middle east”. The President is scheduled to visit Israel amidst the ongoing political upheaval in the country as it will soon be seeing its 5th election in its 4th year, After the visit from Israel, the next venue for the meet in the series will be Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and then with Palestinian authority leader.
After taking charge in office, this was the first visit in the region made by the US president, and soon Biden landed in a press briefing. Biden retreated “We will continue to advance Israel integration into the region”- said Biden. “I’m proud to say that our relationship with the state of Israel is deeper and stronger in my view than it’s ever been. With this visit, we’re strengthening our connections even further,” the President said, reported CNN.
At this occasion Israel PM Yair Lapid made a statement that “we will discuss building a new security and economy architecture with the nations of the Middle East”, this comes after the United States broke the peace deal between Israel – UAE, Bahrain and morocco in 2020.
This visit holds importance from the eyes of the US as the area earlier wasn’t getting that much of a head in Washington as Joe Biden came to power. Iran being the common foe of US and Israel and possibly advances made by Iran in enriching nuclear and developing up nuclear technology.
It must be remembered here that in 2015 deal was signed between the US and Iran named JCPOA (Joint comprehensive plan of action), it was agreed by Iranian side that they will be curbing down the nuclear program in response to sanctions lifted by US, but in May 2018 the then President Donald Trump backed off from the deal unilaterally. The talks for the revival of 2015 deal again started in April 2021 in Vienna, but soon after three months halt came, later again talks started in Doha, but failed to agree upon differences and were unable to settle the deal.
As all these are going on, Biden also made a statement that ” we will discuss the need to renew a strong global coalition that will stop the Iranian nuclear programme”, this came at a time when ongoing efforts haven’t been able to get the earlier deal.
Soon the visit started on Thursday Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi made a blunt statement that “any mistake committed by the United states and its allies to stoke a regional crisis will receive a decisive response from Iran” reported presidential website and state media, according to a report by ANI. He further went on to say that “Iran does not accept any insecurity and crisis in the region and committing any mistake in the region will be responded with a decisive and regrettable response”.
Mr. Biden’s visit to Saudi Arabia on July 15 was of the major focus of the tour, after he branded
the oil-rich kingdom a “pariah” over the 2018 murder of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal
Khashoggi. All this signals great importance to the US that this region holds on for the US.
As the discussions initiated in Washington DC that after not showing that much interest in earlier days in office Mr Biden and team had come in forefront to sought out the ties again, the possible talks that is going on is that, Biden and his team have concluded they must ramp up, Washington’s presence in the Middle East so China and Russia don’t fill an America-sized hole. So that Tehran can be kept at bay, so that a ceasefire in Yemen can hold, faster modernizations can happen in Saudi society, and maybe even better relations between officials in Jerusalem and Riyadh.
And then there’s that much needed matter of needing Saudi Arabia’s help to keep the oil flowing after the tap from Russia dwindled following the invasion of Ukraine and bring some stability in the global oil market as it also serves as national geopolitical interest.
Mr Biden is Scheduled to meet Palestinian authority leader Mahmud Abbas, but according to media reports Palestinians are angry over US and says “We only hear empty words and no
results”.
While making remarks at the airport to Israeli official president Biden backed for the idea of
Palestinian statehood, “A two-state solution,” he said, remains “the best way to ensure” a
prosperous future “for Israelis and Palestinians alike”.
This visit of the president is not something that doesn’t go without any questions as the Biden
administration has again and again made it clear that human rights will be the main point in forging their foreign policy but the visit to Israel and meeting the prince of Saudi, is sure to
damage his Image back home. West Europe is also said to follow up this meeting very closely,
that Mr Biden will be able to secure energy and secure alliance for Russia for the coming harsh
days.
