<\/p>\n
Joe Biden is expected to make his first visit to the Middle East in mid-July, where he will visit leaders of traditional US allies with whom relations have been frosty since he assumed presidency in January 2021.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Biden\u2019s four-day trip will include his first stop in Israel as US President with a visit to the occupied Palestinian West Bank. Finally, Biden will conclude his visit by meeting with regional leaders and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in the Saudi port city of Jeddah.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Yemen\u2019s war, which has generated the world\u2019s worst humanitarian crisis according to the UN, needs extra pressure from the international community to help end it, particularly since the UN ceasefire was extended and tensions between warring parties remain. However, Biden\u2019s visit to Jeddah may not be enough to bring peace for Yemen, as the country\u2019s conflict is once again not a top priority for Washington.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n There are several reasons for Biden deciding to make the visit. Firstly, Biden feels the need to cooperate with Saudi Arabia to help decrease oil prices, the rising of which has created a consumer crisis in the US and worldwide.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Biden also wants to retain the support of its traditional Middle Eastern allies amid Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine, so Washington can heap unified pressure on Russia. After all, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) \u2013 a key member of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, have been warming towards Russia and strengthening their relations with Moscow throughout the invasion of Ukraine. Their stances differ from that of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) which has imposed financial sanctions on Moscow since it invaded Ukraine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n However, it follows a souring of ties between Riyadh and Washington under Biden\u2019s auspices. During Biden\u2019s presidential campaign in 2020, he promised to reign in on ties with Saudi Arabia over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul in 2018, the country\u2019s domestic human rights record, and the kingdom\u2019s role in the war in Yemen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Such abuses had proliferated during the presidency of Biden\u2019s predecessor Donald Trump, prompting Biden to assume the position of an \u2018anti-Trump\u2019 figure, particularly since Washington\u2019s ties with Riyadh became scrutinized within Congress. However, Biden\u2019s stance created tense relations with Saudi Arabia. To counter-balance potential pressure from Washington and the prospect that the US\u2019 unconditional support may stop, Saudi Arabia has developed military contracts with Russia in 2021 and has looked set to further expand its relations with Russia.<\/span><\/p>\n Still, despite Biden apparently looking for a compromise with Saudi Arabia, there are expected to be some stern words, and Biden will likely push the line that bin Salman is a \u201cpariah\u201d over his links to the killing of Khashoggi.<\/span><\/p>\n Alongside these geopolitical concerns, Biden\u2019s visit will intend to address the issue of security cooperation in the Middle East, such as countering the threats and expansion of Iran. As Iran continues to back the Houthi rebels in Yemen, and the partnership between Tehran and the Houthis has deepened throughout the war, Biden may seek to somewhat placate Riyadh\u2019s own security concerns. This in turn could deepen the security partnership between Riyadh and Washington.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n On the other hand, Washington has de-listed the Houthi militia in Yemen as a terrorist organization and denied Riyadh precision munitions to counter ongoing missile attacks, which the United States considered \u201coffensive weapons.\u201d This means Riyadh may still be cautious over replicating Washington\u2019s support which could mean disagreements over countering Iran could continue following the meeting.<\/span><\/p>\n Evidently, Biden is willing to compromise on his harsh pledges over Saudi Arabia, which may prompt further criticism over Biden\u2019s ostensible concerns for human rights. Various US Democratic senators have denounced Biden\u2019s plans as a failure to live up to his promises of reigning in on Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman\u2019s leadership, particularly over the war in Yemen which he was the architect.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Several US Democratic lawmakers <\/span>urged<\/span><\/a> the US President that the visit must focus on \u201crecalibrating that relationship to serve America\u2019s national interests\u201d\u2014 reminding Biden of his promise to \u201crecalibrate\u201d US-Saudi relations following his stern pledges during his presidential campaign in 2020.<\/span><\/p>\nGeopolitical Concerns<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n
Pressure Over Human Rights<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n