Syndication: Las Cruces Sun-News
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will make his first trip to the Middle East next month with visits to Israel, the occupied West Bank and Saudi Arabia. The White House on Tuesday announced the outline of Biden’s July 13-16 Middle East trip. The decision to pay a call on Saudi leaders comes after Biden as a Democratic presidential candidate branded the kingdom a “pariah” because of its human rights record and pledged to recalibrate the U.S.-Saudi relationship. Biden plans to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who U.S. intelligence officials determined ordered the 2018 killing of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The Saudis say they look forward to welcoming Biden.
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