Joe Biden is set to travel to Israel on Wednesday, his first international visit since becoming President of the United States.
The White House confirmed the news on Monday, stating that Biden was traveling to Israel “to reaffirm the unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel” and to re-engage with the international community to work together to address regional and global threats.
The trip is part of Biden’s pledge to strengthen US-Israeli ties, a sharp contrast from the tense relationship the two countries had during former President Donald Trump’s tenure.
Biden will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other government officials, as well as visit several cultural and religious sites. He is expected to discuss defense cooperation, regional security issues, and a potential return to the 2015 Iran deal.
The visit is also expected to address stalled progress towards a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Biden will meet with key Palestinian leaders, including President Mahmoud Abbas, to discuss the prospects of renewing peace negotiations that have largely stalled in recent years.
The trip comes at a critical time for Israel, as it faces political turmoil over Prime Minister Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption indictment, as well as concurrent threats posed by Iran and its proxies in the region.
It will also be Biden’s first opportunity to address the rising wave of anti-Semitism in Europe and the United States. The President is expected to make a pointed and forceful statement against all forms of bigotry and hate during his visit.
While there is much uncertainty surrounding Biden’s visit, one thing is clear: the policy change that Biden brings to Israel-US relations could not come at a more opportune time. This visit promises to be a defining moment in modern-day history.