"Turning Away from the Middle East" Can US Biden Win the Hearts of Arab Leaders?

Scheduled to Visit Israel and Jordan on the 18th
Neglecting Middle East Issues Due to Focus on China and Russia
Attention on Whether Arab Leaders Can Be Persuaded

U.S. President Joe Biden has decided to make a sudden visit to Israel, which is at war with the Palestinian armed faction Hamas, on the 18th (local time), drawing attention to whether this move can provide a clue to resolving the tense situation surrounding the Gaza Strip.

Diplomacy among Middle Eastern countries has become increasingly important in resolving the crisis, but Arab leaders view the Biden administration, which has focused more on countering China and Russia rather than Middle Eastern issues since the beginning of its term, with disfavor.

President Joe Biden [Image source=Getty Images Yonhap News]

According to CNN and other media on the 16th (local time), U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced President Biden's schedule to visit Israel. During his visit, President Biden is expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to demonstrate U.S. support for Israel. It is also anticipated that he will emphasize Israel's right and duty to protect its citizens from Hamas.

President Biden will visit not only Israel but also neighboring Arab countries. Following his visit to Israel, he plans to visit Amman, Jordan, on the same day to meet with King Abdullah II of Jordan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

Since Hamas's airstrike on the 7th, President Biden has repeatedly expressed support for Israel, but at the same time, he has conveyed his intention to avoid the escalation of the conflict into a 'Middle East war.' In this context, smooth dialogue with Arab leaders to ease tensions is crucial.

However, Arab leaders are not particularly welcoming of President Biden's visit to the Middle East. The American political media outlet Politico reported, "The intense wartime diplomacy by the U.S. has so far failed to persuade the Arab countries in the Middle East," adding, "President Biden's visit may not be helpful."

Secretary Blinken, who has been traveling through Middle Eastern countries ahead of President Biden to mediate with leaders, has personally experienced the discomfort of Arab leaders.

King Abdullah II of Jordan (from the left in the photo), Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, Joe Biden, President of the United States, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, President of Egypt [Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

On the night of the 14th, when Secretary Blinken went to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince did not appear, causing Blinken to wait for several hours and only meet him the next morning.

On the same day, Secretary Blinken also visited Egypt, where President el-Sisi warned that the war between Israel and the Gaza Strip threatens the stability of the entire Middle East. He criticized Israel's ground war plans, stating that "Israel's response is turning from legitimate self-defense into 'collective punishment' of Gaza residents."

AP News reported, "It is highly likely that President Biden will hear similar remarks when he meets leaders of Jordan, Egypt, and the Palestinian Authority after his visit to Israel."

These reactions from Arab leaders stem from the Biden administration's so-called 'quiet diplomacy,' which has shown little interest in Middle Eastern issues since the beginning of its term. AP explained that since President Richard Nixon, U.S. administrations have tried to ease tensions in the Middle East by persuading Israeli and Palestinian leaders over the past 75 years, but President Biden has not followed this approach.

This atmosphere of the Biden administration was reflected in the phone call with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. President Biden spoke with Abbas on the 14th for the first time in over two years since taking office in 2021.

Jonathan Lord, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), analyzed, "Gulf partner countries are watching to see if the U.S. will respond quickly and decisively to Israel, and they are cautious about this."

Yousef Munayyer of the Arab Center’s Palestine-Israel Program said, "Ignoring the unresolved core issues will not solve the crisis," adding, "I think this will be a lesson for everyone."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.