US President Joe Biden has begun his first visit to the Middle East
in Israel. From there he went to Saudi Arabia, a trip not possible on
commercial airlines and breaking a taboo that suggests the possibility of an
enlarged Arab-Israeli peace circle that has not progressed since the end of the
Trump administration.
اضافة اعلان
President Donald Trump was the first US leader to
travel directly from Saudi Arabia to Israel, where he was welcomed by former
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. At the time, Trump had said he would like to see
direct flights on the route in the future.
Biden’s program for the visit suggests that the US
is keen to support the current Israeli government, while also considering the
possibility that Netanyahu could return following the upcoming elections.
Since ideology does not unify America with Arab countries, common interests, priorities and economic opportunity are essential for a sustainable long-term shared strategic vision.
Biden’s visit to the West Bank to meet with
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was also important to keep the Palestinian
issue alive, but the focus appeared to be on identifying a successor to Abbas
rather than restarting the peace initiative.
While the US president’s visit to Saudi Arabia and
meeting with its leaders is considered a very important step for America, it is
an open question whether this visit can really change and restore strategic
relations at a time when economic pragmatism is leading political decisions
around the world. The US has bluntly declared its efforts to counter Russia and
contain Chinese influence globally, and the Middle East is an important part of
this, particularly as the Chinese offer support with the infrastructure,
energy, and transportation related to many big projects across the region. As
such, it is important to understand what economic incentives the US is willing
to offer the region as an alternative.
Since ideology does not unify America with Arab
countries, common interests, priorities and economic opportunity are essential
for a sustainable long-term shared strategic vision.
The US needs to reassure its allies that policies
and positions are not subject to continuous change, and that a unified, shared,
vision stays a constant.
The Iranian nuclear deal is a clear example, as the
US needs to consider its allies’ position on and interests in this critical
issue.
The Saudis clearly do not want to see a renewed
nuclear deal with Iran without a seat at the table and consideration of their
ongoing concerns about the aggressive, hostile Iranian policies in the region,
as well as Iran’s ballistic capabilities. Without tackling these issues, the US
will struggle to build an alliance to counter Russia or contain China; it will
need to come to the table with tangible solutions and economic support for the
region in order to once again enjoy its support for US strategic policies.
Amer Al-Sabaileh is a Jordanian university professor and
geopolitical expert. He is a leading columnist in national, regional, and
international media, offers consultancies to think tanks and speaks at
international conferences on Middle East politics and developments.
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