Still, when Air Force One touches down in Tel Aviv for his first visit as president to the region this afternoon, Biden will be faced with a rapidly changing - and still unstable - part of the world.
Biden's main goal is to convince Saudi Arabia of the need to increase global oil supplies to ease the energy crisis caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But the fact that he flies directly to Jeddah after two days in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories speaks to a significant shift: Israel's rapid transformation from regional pariah to ally to many Arab states.
The lead-up to Biden's trip has been dominated by the news of developing defence cooperation between Israel and several of its neighbours to combat the threat posed by the growing military prowess of Iran and its proxies in the region.
Bahrain, Jordan and Egypt - as well as Saudi Arabia and Qatar, countries with which Israel does not have formal diplomatic relations were among the nations reportedly represented in secret talks with Israeli military officials in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh earlier this year.
While Arab countries have downplayed or refused to comment on whether the summit took place, senior Israeli officials stressed the day before Biden's arrival that US leadership had facilitated "upgraded interactions" between Israel and its regional partners in recent months, and that gradual steps were being made towards normalisation with Saudi Arabia.
Bu hikaye The Guardian dergisinin July 13, 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye The Guardian dergisinin July 13, 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
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