US President Joe Biden arrived in Saudi Arabia on Friday, from Israel, aboard the US Air Force One. He landed at the Saudi port of Jeddah on the Red Sea, after a two-hour flight.
Biden is the first US president to travel directly from Israel to an Arab country with which it does not have relations.
This is Biden’s first visit to Saudi Arabia since taking office on January 20, 2021.
Biden was greeted upon his arrival at King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah, by the Emir of Makkah Al-Mukarramah region, Khaled Al-Faisal.
Biden is scheduled to meet with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah before participating in a ministerial “working session” headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Less than an hour after his arrival in Jeddah, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received US President Biden at the Peace Palace.
It is expected that Biden will participate in an Arab-American summit on, Saturday, July 16 in Jeddah, which will be attended by the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) (Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the Sultanate of Oman), Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq.
Earlier on Friday, July 15, the US presidential plane departed directly from Ben Gurion International Airport, to Jeddah Airport in Saudi Arabia.
On Thursday, July 14, the General Authority of Civil Aviation in Saudi Arabia announced the opening of its airspace to all air carriers that meet the requirements of the authority to cross the airspace amid an American and Israeli welcome.
On Wednesday, July 13, Biden began a tour of the region, beginning with a visit to Israel, after which he met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank. His tour concludes in Saudi Arabia after the end of the summit.
