U.S. President Joe Biden speaks on the May 2022 Jobs Report from the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center on June 3, 2022, in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
Mandel Ngan | AFP | beautiful pictures
Expected visits of President Joe Biden to Saudi Arabia and Israel Several officials told NBC News on Friday that the end of the month has been postponed until July.
The The White House Sources say they are now planning a broader trip to the Middle East next month.
A senior administration official told NBC News: “We’re making the trip to Israel and Saudi Arabia for the GCC+ 3 Summit. “We’re working to confirm the date. When We have something to announce, we’ll do it.”
A foreign diplomat and two US officials said the Saudi stopover would no longer take place at the end of June, and two US officials said the trip to Israel was also being postponed. Both visits are expected to be added to Biden’s previously scheduled trip to Germany and Spain this month..
The reason for the delay was not immediately clear. The foreign diplomat and two officials said they became aware of travel plans that were postponed on Friday. US officials added that the dates are still changing and could change again.
The White House declined to comment on the itinerary. The Israeli and Saudi embassies in Washington did not immediately respond to requests late Friday.
Biden’s plans to visit Saudi Arabia have come under rapid scrutiny due to the country’s human rights record and the president’s own past remarks about the oil-rich country. On the campaign trail, Biden promised to act as a “protector” after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. CIA conclusion in 2018, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, ordered Khashoggi’s murder. The crown prince has denied any personal involvement in his death.
This week, a group of relatives of 9/11 victims wrote to Biden saying that if he comes to the kingdom, he must raise issues of “accountability” about alleged relationship between some of the 9/11 hijackers and Saudi officials.
However, Saudi Arabia, a close economic and military ally of the United States, is traditionally one of the first foreign stops a president arrives in the Middle East. The Biden administration finds cooperation with Saudi Arabia unavoidable because the country plays a large role in many of the top foreign policy issues confronting the Biden administration, including Israel-Palestinian tensions and the deal. Iran nuclear deal.
Biden is also looking for ways to help lower oil and gas prices as his administration faces continued pressure to do more to lower fuel prices ahead of the midterm elections.
NBC News report On Thursday, Mr. Biden is expected to visit Saudi Arabia and Israel this month, citing five sources with knowledge of the matter.
The White House has never publicly confirmed those travel plans. But sources told NBC News that the Biden administration has informed other countries that the visit will take place in late June, and that the White House and State Department are preparing for the visit.
Biden, asked by a reporter Friday morning about reports of a trip to Saudi Arabia, said a stop was possible but that it was “not sure if I would go.”
“I’ve been trying to work on how we can bring more stability and peace to the Middle East. And it’s likely I’ll meet Israelis and some Arab nations at that time, including. , I expect, will be Saudi Arabia, will be included in that if I go,” Biden said. “But I have no immediate plans at the moment. We’re looking into it.”
