US president forgets about the Khasoggi crime and meets the crown prince in Saudi Arabia, whom he identified as the murderer of the journalist
Joe Biden flew direct from Tel Aviv to Saudi Arabia this Friday with a clear goal on his agenda: to get Riyadh to increase oil production to try to moderate the global rise in fuel prices caused by the energy crisis that emerged after the Russian invasion. from Ukraine. This journey, which will be remembered as the first official direct flight from the Jewish state to the Wahhabi Kingdom, although Donald Trump has already made it in the opposite direction, brings Biden face to face with Mohamed bin Salman (MBS), Crown Prince and according to the CIA responsible for approving the operation against journalist Jamal Khasoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018 “The Washington Post”, but four years later the energy crisis forces him to withdraw and restore relations with MBS.
Diplomacy in the Middle East is like a big bazaar where everything is bought and sold. Biden travels to the coastal city of Jeddah in search of more oil, something MBS has so far resisted despite calls from Washington since the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine. All the heir apparent has done was to temporarily increase production of 600,000 barrels from July to September within the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), an inadequate measure given the magnitude of the current crisis. In this grand bazaar, everything points to Biden’s visit and the re-establishment of direct relationship with MBS is the political price the United States has to pay.
Before landing in Saudi Arabia, during his visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories, the Democratic president made clear to the press that his views on the “Khasoggi case” are “absolutely clear”. However, when he set foot in Saudi Arabia, I have no hesitation in greeting the person identified by the CIA as responsible for greenlighting the murder and mutilation of the journalist, whose body has still not been found. .
During the flight to Jeddah, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told journalists covering this official trip that the intent of the trip is “to make sure there is no void in the Middle East that China and Russia are trying to fill.” “, and to demonstrate that ‘American leadership is a hallmark of politics in this region’.
Biden will attend a meeting of the Gulf Council countries after a two-day visit to Israel and a few hours to East Jerusalem and Bethlehem. In the Palestinian city where Jesus was born, he met his colleague Mahmoud Abbas, whom he described as a “friend.” It marks the tenth time the veteran American politician has visited the site, insisting that the creation of “two states on the 1967 borders with agreed exchange of territories remains the best way to achieve the same degree of security, prosperity, freedom and democracy.” .” for Palestinians and Israelis. However, he did not offer a practical measure so that this solution, which has been increasingly removed from reality by the uncontrolled expansion of Israel’s colonies, continues and is limited to saying that “the time is not right to resume negotiations”.
Abbas, whose public appearance has silenced rumors of his ill health, reminded Biden that “if Israel is to fulfill its obligations, it cannot continue to act as a state above the law, so it must end the occupation.” and appealed to the Arab Peace. Initiative as a mechanism to resolve the conflict. Biden concluded his visit by announcing a $200 million – approximately 200 million euro – aid to the United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) “to continue its vital work to protect the most vulnerable.” to help Palestinians, especially Palestinian children.
Source: La Verdad
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