President Biden kicked off high-stakes trip to the Middle East yesterday with a visit to Israel, the first stop on a diplomatic mission to bolster United States ties to the region.
It was aimed at facilitating growing ties between the Arab world and the Jewish state, and get some help on soaring world energy prices and the challenge posed by Iran.
Biden was greeted by Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Yair Lapid as he exited Air Force One for a three-day trip, his first visit to the region since taking office 18 months ago.
“The connection between the Israeli people and the American people is bone deep,” Biden said shortly after landing in Tel Aviv, the first stop of his Middle East tour. “Our relationship with the state of Israel is deeper and stronger, in my view, than it’s ever been. And with this visit, we’re strengthening our connection even further,” Biden said.
“We’re simply happy to see you, Mr. President, the simple, genuine joy of seeing a good friend once again,” Lapid said, a caretaker prime minister as Israel‘s deadlocked parliament once again prepares for national elections this fall.
Biden is also scheduled to meet privately with longtime former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, who is hoping the coming elections will restore him to power after a year in opposition. Biden told an Israeli television interviewer he was ready to work again with Mr. Netanyahu should he win the coming vote, despite past tensions between the two men.
Biden is also visiting a country, Israel, that was highly supportive of his predecessor, according to recent polls. Former President Donald Trump was a strong supporter of Israel’s security and its territorial claims and helped engineer a string of agreements for Arab governments to recognize the once-isolated Jewish state.
The White House said Biden is looking to make “material progress” on issues like Israel’s security in the Middle East and high energy prices. At the same time, aides have tried to lower expectations for the trip, saying it could take months to reach a deal on those issues.