US President began a four-day trip to the Middle East yesterday by landing in Israel.
It was expected that the tour would concentrate on seeking to halt Iranian nuclear development. Additionally, a second landing in Jeddah would serve to reinforce ties with Riyadh facilitating the stability of oil markets that has hit American petrol stations in recent months.
Joe Biden is visiting Israel following half a century and for the first time as US president. He was a newcomer in the US senate when he made a trip to Israel for the first time. Biden didn’t waste any time in attempting to reiterate his unwavering commitment to the Zionism despite some divisions. “Every chance to return to this great country where the ancient roots of the Jewish people date back to biblical times is a blessing,” Biden asserted at the airport.
Washington’s efforts to revive a new nuclear deal with Tehran have given rise to disagreements between the two sides. Avoiding to refer to the divisions, US president also said “the connection between the Israeli people and the American people is bone deep.”
Israeli officials greeted Biden as he stepped off Air Force One and shared the remarks. Making clear attempts to neglect the divisions, they meant to see US president as a brother. He was referred as “a great Zionist and one of the best friends Israel has ever known” by the acting PM, Yair Lapid.
Israeli prime minister noted that the two sides will talk about Tehran and their collaborative initiatives to strengthen coordination without going into details. Israel, formerly an outlier in the area, now aspires to participate in regional politics, especially following disputed agreements with three Arab nations in 2020. There are hopes that during Mr. Biden’s visit, more advancements will be achieved.
US President; Still on the Wrong Line
Following a meeting with his Israeli counterpart, the US president told Israeli television that the use of force is still a last option against Tehran. This appears to be an effort to accede to Israel’s requests that the international community provide a “credible military threat.”
Meanwhile, US and Israel have hinted at a potential retaliatory attack on Iran. Formally expressing the rhetoric may be a strategic approach to impact Iranian policies.
Biden wants to benefit from the demonstration of American and Israeli commitment when he travels to Saudi Arabia. Biden wants to use Riyadh’s concerns about Iran to advance a reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Israel under American sponsorship. As such, for Biden, Iran is only a device to proceed with its plans for the region.
US president told reporters after meeting Lapid that they had spoken about the necessity for Israel to be completely engaged in the regional developments. Biden’s visit to Saudi Arabia was declared very essential to Israel, according to Lapid.
About the forthcoming announcement regarding Jerusalem, Tehran made no immediate remark. The text, according to a top US executive, will include a promise and commitment to forbid Iran to obtain a military nuclear capability. Washington is willing to utilize every tool at its disposal to achieve that goal.
Iran reached a global agreement with western powers in 2015 restricting Iranian nuclear programmers in return for sanctions relief. When Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement in 2018, Israel applauded the decision.
Biden’s visit to Israel focused on Iran While Tehran has openly rejected any inclination for nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, other key issues like normalization and US-Israeli cooperative structure missed proper address. The two long-time allies were divided on these issues since Biden took the office eighteen months ago.
