President Joe Biden’s Planned Visits Saudi Arabia and Israel Later this month it has been postponed until July, several executives told NBC News on Friday.
white House Sources said it is now planning an extensive tour of the Middle East next month.
“We are working on a trip to Israel and Saudi Arabia for the GCC+3 summit,” a senior administration official told NBC News. “We are working to confirm the dates. When we have something to announce, we will.”
A foreign diplomat and two US officials said the Saudi stop would no longer take place at the end of June, and two US officials said travel to Israel was also being pushed back. Both visits were expected to tackle Biden’s pre-scheduled visit to Germany and Spain this month.
The reason for the delay was not immediately clear. The foreign diplomat and two officials said they came to know about the postponed travel plans on Friday. US officials said the dates remained volatile 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 inquiries late Friday.
Biden’s plan to visit Saudi Arabia has come under rapid scrutiny given the country’s human rights record and the president’s own past comments about the oil-rich country. On the campaign trail, Biden promised to behave as an “angel” following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. CIA concluded In 2018, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, ordered the killing of Khashoggi. The Crown Prince has denied any personal involvement in his death.
A group of relatives of victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks wrote to Biden this week, raising issues of “accountability” over alleged links between some of the 9/11 hijackers and Saudi officials if he visits the kingdom. needed.
Nevertheless, Saudi Arabia, a close US economic and military ally, has traditionally been one of the first overseas stops by a president in the Middle East. The Biden administration has found it difficult to refrain from cooperating with Saudi Arabia, because of its leading role in several top foreign policy issues facing the Biden administration, including Israel-Palestinian tensions and the Iran nuclear deal.
Biden is also looking for ways to help lower the price of oil and gas as his administration faces pressure to do more to lower the price of fuel in midterm elections.
NBC News informed of On Thursday, Biden was expected to visit Saudi Arabia and Israel this month, citing five sources with knowledge of the matter.
The White House never publicly confirmed those travel plans. But sources told NBC News that the Biden administration had informed other countries that visits were taking place in late June, and the White House and State Department were preparing for visits.
Asked by a reporter on Friday morning about reports of travel to Saudi Arabia, Biden said a halt was possible but it was not certain whether I was leaving.
“I’m trying to work out how to bring more stability and peace to the Middle East. And there’s a possibility that I’m going to meet with both Israel and some Arab countries at that point in time, which I hope to see. That Saudi Arabia will be involved too, will be involved if I go,” Biden said. “But I don’t have any direct plans at the moment. We’re looking into it.”
zoe richards contribution,