Air Force One lands at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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Biden reverses Trump’s policy of aiding the Palestinians and does not condemn the wave of terror against Israelis
JERUSALEM, Israel — President Biden reiterated his commitment to a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians and announced plans to increase US financial aid to the Palestinian people, reversing several actions taken by former President Trump.
After spending time with Israeli leaders in Jerusalem, Biden met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and other senior Palestinian officials before visiting the Church of the Nativity, the site Christians refer to as the birthplace of Jesus.
During his remarks, the President touched on his government’s plans to implement a series of economic and confidence-building measures aimed at improving the daily lives of the Palestinian people living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but paused to condemn Palestinian terrorism , which has hampered peace efforts in the past and sparked countless rounds of violence with Israel.
The president also said the US would increase financial contributions to the controversial UN agency, UNRWA, which supports and advocates for Palestinian refugees, adding $200 million to its budget to become the largest donor country.
Biden stresses commitment to two-state solution at meetings with Palestinian President Abbas
President Biden underscored his continued commitment to the two-state solution during a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank on Friday.
The Palestinian people deserve their own state with “an equal measure of freedom and dignity” as Israel, he said.
He said that while the goal of a two-state solution seems “far off” and Americans can feel the “grief and frustration” of the Palestinians, the US “will never give up the work for peace.”
The US “will not give up trying to bring Israel and Palestine closer together,” he added.
He said there must be “an end to the violence” that has destroyed “too many families”.
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Iranian military spokesman: Biden will ‘pay the price’ after saying he would use force as ‘last resort’
Iran’s military spokesman Shakarchi said US President Biden would “pay the price” after saying he would use force as a “last resort” to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons.
Iranian Armed Forces Spokesman Brigadier General Abul-Fadl Shakarchi: “The use of the term violence against #Iran by the US President and the Prime Minister of the Zionist Entity is a psychological warfare for which the enemy will pay.”
Translated from Arabic: ااسم ب ا القو المس الإير العميد ا الفض شك شكشك شك شك شك شك أميرك وزر وزر ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ench ج ا ا ا ج ج ج ج ج ج ج ج ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ا ج ج ج ج ج ج ج ج ج ج ج ج ج ج ج ج ج ج ج @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @
Israeli Prime Minister Lapid thanks Biden for his “dedication” to Israel and wishes him “success” in Saudi Arabia
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Friday thanked President Biden for his visit to Israel this week.
He said after leaders signed the “Jerusalem Declaration, which deepened America’s commitment to Israel’s security, the fight against Iran’s nuclear program and advancing the Abraham Accords and Negev Summit normalization initiatives,” Saudi Arabia opened Saudi airspace to Israeli airlines.
“I would like to thank the President of the United States, Joe Biden, for a visit that moved our entire country and for his commitment to Israel’s military and diplomatic strength,” he said.
He wished Biden “success” at the Jeddah summit in Saudi Arabia and thanked the Saudi leadership “for opening up Saudi airspace. This is only the first step. We will continue to operate with due caution, for the sake of Israel’s economy, security and the well-being of our citizens.”
Biden says US is giving $100 million to east Jerusalem hospital network that treats Palestinians
President Biden spoke Friday morning at the Augusta Victoria Hospital in east Jerusalem. The hospital is part of the East Jerusalem Hospital Network, which Biden described as the “backbone of the Palestinian healthcare system.”
dr Fadi Atrash, CEO of Augusta Victoria Hospital, introduced Biden and called his visit a “bold statement of support for the Palestinian people.”
The President announced that the US would give the hospital system an additional $100 million, which he hoped would ensure its “long-term financial stability.”
He added that Israelis and Palestinians both deserve the same level of “dignity” and said the US would continue to work with the Palestinian leadership.
The White House will not say whether Biden will confront Jamal Khashoggi at a meeting with Saudi Arabia
The White House will not say whether President Biden will mention Jamal Khashoggi’s name in meetings with Saudi officials this week, although Khashoggi’s widow said the government had assured her he would.
Biden will meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) on Friday after performances in Israel.
Khashoggi’s widow, Hanan Elatr Khashoggi, met with White House officials last week, and she told Fox News host Bill Hemmer that they assured her Khashoggi’s name would come up.
“Yes, they assured me that the human rights issue and, on top of that, my husband’s tragedy will arise,” she told Hemmer on Thursday.
Read more: White House won’t say if Biden will raise Jamal Khashoggi at Saudi meeting after widow breaks silence
Biden says Democrats who believe Israel is an ‘apartheid state’ are ‘wrong’: ‘Israel is a democracy’
President Biden called members of his own party who believed Israel was an “apartheid state.” during an interview in Israel on Wednesday.
Biden was asked to respond to “voices” within the Democratic Party that believe “Israel is an apartheid state” and calling for an end to “unconditional aid” to Israel.
Biden said the “few” voices within the Democratic Party calling Israel an apartheid state are “wrong.”
READ ALSO: Biden Says Democrats Who Believe Israel Is An ‘Apartheid State’ Are ‘Wrong’: ‘Israel Is A Democracy’