Biden’s Upcoming Visit to the Middle East
-
Hashim Sheikh
- . June 27, 2022
- . Update: June 27, 2022 11:55 pm
United States–US President Joe Biden’s trip to the Middle East has been made plain after weeks of uncertainty: a visit to Israel as well as a stop in Bethlehem to meet with Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority. The trip to Saudi Arabia, which involves a summit with the GCC, Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq, is more significant.
Therefore, it is now appropriate to think about how to best use the visit to further the interests of the Arab countries. But let’s first think at the advantages that the US and Israel anticipate from it. This is crucial because it will provide Arab nations the opportunity to position themselves to best protect their long-term interests.
First, there would be two key goals for the trip to Israel. a show of solidarity for the current Israeli administration and the opposition parties to previous prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, there may be a chance to cement the Israeli strategy for regional security, which was presented at the Negev summit in March.
Related Posts
By utilizing an unified missile-defense system as a means of regional military cooperation, this would entail absorbing Israel. If this were to occur, Israel would have achieved the highest level of integration into the area before fulfilling the requirements outlined in the Saudi-proposed Arab Peace Initiative API.
The API envisioned normal, peaceful relations and Israel’s integration into the Middle East under the following conditions: Israeli withdrawal from occupied Palestinian, Syrian, and Lebanese territories; acceptance of a sovereign independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip with East Jerusalem as its capital; and the achievement of a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem to be agreed upon in accordance with international agreements.
It is one thing for Arab nations to exercise their sovereign right to establish friendly, peaceful relations with any nation, including Israel; however, it is quite another to attempt to integrate Israel into the region before it has fulfilled the API’s requirements and taken steps to develop a fair regional security architecture that includes arms control and nuclear disarmament.
Regarding the Palestinian aspect, the visit aims to repair the significant harm brought on by the Trump administration. The US will have the chance to formally affirm that it backs a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian issue.
Unfortunately, after promising to do so, the US will instead merely open an office and appoint a special envoy for Palestinian affairs instead of reopening its consulate in East Jerusalem. Washington must uphold its obligations to the Palestinians in this situation.
Prior to the mid-term congressional elections in November, the US’s bilateral visit to Israel will have an impact on domestic politics. However, as President Biden recently noted, it also has consequences for the regional security of the Middle East. Washington must take into account the potential results of Biden’s travel because of this. The Israeli concept of a regional security architecture should not be specifically endorsed until sufficient discussions with the relevant Arab countries have taken place.
The US wants to accomplish a variety of goals with this trip. The first step is to persuade the Arab oil producers to keep raising their output in order to stop the exponential rise in prices. The second is to strengthen ties with the GCC, especially with Saudi Arabia. Third, to allay Israel’s fears as well as those of the Arab nations in the event that the Iran nuclear deal is brought back to life. Fourthly, to make sure it can rely on a regional alliance in what appears to be the beginning of a new Cold War, including both China and Russia.
