Saudi Arabia, a "pariah" state for Joe Biden before his election, will be among the countries the American president will visit during his next visit to the Middle East.

The White House put an end to weeks of speculation on Tuesday, June 14, by announcing a tour of Joe Biden in Israel, the West Bank and Saudi Arabia from July 13 to 16.

The US president will make a historic flight in July to Riyadh, where he plans to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS).

The latter is notably accused, by a declassified CIA report in February 2022, of having "validated" the assassination of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi - charges rejected by the Saudi kingdom.

This will be Joe Biden's first trip to the Middle East as President of the United States.

In addition to his meetings with Israeli, Palestinian and Saudi leaders, Joe Biden has planned to participate in a summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – a diplomatic forum bringing together several Arab countries in the region – in Saudi Arabia.

According to observers, he should seek to obtain from the Saudis an increase in their oil production, in order to stop the rise in fuel prices and inflation in his country where the mid-term elections will take place in November.

A vote at risk for his Democratic Party.

>> To read also on France 24: Saudi Arabia: the Biden administration does not hide "its hostility towards MBS"

In Saudi Arabia (July 15-16), Joe Biden will meet King Salman and Crown Prince MBS.

With the latter, he will notably discuss renewable energies, cybersecurity and food and energy security, according to a press release from the Saudi Embassy in Washington.

"The partnership between our two countries is more essential than ever to promote peace, prosperity and stability in the world," added the Saudi kingdom.

"Recalibration of relations, but not a breakup"

Whatever the outcome, this meeting with the crown prince and de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia will mark a controversial shift in American diplomacy.

During the 2020 presidential campaign, Joe Biden had indeed claimed that the assassination and dismemberment of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 in Turkey had made Saudi Arabia a "pariah" country.

"US policy required a recalibration of relations" after the murder of Jamal Khashoggi "but not a breakup," a senior US official told reporters on Tuesday.

He pointed out that Saudi Arabia has been a strategic partner of the United States for eight decades and that some 80,000 Americans live there.

Joe Biden cannot “give more value to Saudi oil than to the blood [of MBS victims]”, lambasted Democratic Senator Ron Wyden.

"Kissing MBS can only make us more vulnerable to the whims of bullies."

"Enduring Commitment to a Two-State Solution"

The spokesperson for the executive, Karine Jean-Pierre, assured that this visit to the Middle East was "the culmination of several months of diplomacy", rather than fueled by elements of short-term domestic policy.

Joe Biden is to meet with a dozen leaders during this brief but intense tour, demonstrating "the return of American leadership" in the region, noted the senior American official.

This trip will open with a meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett.

The pair are expected to discuss US support for the Israeli military, particularly its Iron Dome anti-missile air defense system, amid regional tensions heightened by the failure to revitalize the major power agreement and Tehran on its nuclear program.

“In Israel, the president will probably visit an area where these defense systems are used and discuss the latest innovations between our countries using laser technologies against missiles and other air threats,” the senior official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. .

"He will reaffirm the firm [American] commitment to Israel's security."

Joe Biden is also due to meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, likely in Bethlehem, the source said.

He will reiterate "his enduring commitment to a two-state solution" for Palestinians and Israelis and work to restore ties with the Palestinian authorities that were "almost severed" under Donald Trump.

Historic flight between Israel and Jeddah

It is at the end of the tour that the trip should make history – and cause the most ink to flow: the direct flight between Israel and Jeddah, in Saudi Arabia, will be the first of an American president to an Arab country not recognizing the Jewish state from Israeli soil.

Its predecessor had made the trip in the opposite direction, in 2017.

In Saudi Arabia, the Democratic president must take part in a GCC summit which brings together the leaders of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Leaders from Egypt, Iraq and Jordan are also expected to attend, according to the US official.

A priority of the American head of state will be to maintain the recent truce in Yemen, to stem Iran's nuclear ambitions, "to advance human rights and ensure global energy and food security", specified the responsible.

Also on the program: a virtual summit with the other leaders of the so-called I2-U2 group, namely Israel, India and the United Arab Emirates in addition to the United States.

With AFP

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