Joe Biden is to visit the Middle East for over four days in Julyfor the first time as US president, with a trip to Israel, the Palestinian territories and Saudi Arabia.
Relations between the US and its allies have been tested since Mr. Biden came to office in January 2021.
The White House has criticized Israeli settlements; Palestinians have urged stronger support; and Saudi ties have frayed over the murder of a journalist.
When he was campaigning for the presidency in 2019, Mr. Biden vowed to make Saudi Arabia “the pariah that they are” for killing Jamal Khashoggi, a writer in the area.
US intelligence agencies concluded that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, had approved an operation to capture or kill Khashoggi. END
