NBC News: The White House postpones Biden’s trips to Saudi Arabia and Israel

NBC News, citing officials, reported that US President Joe Biden’s planned visits to Saudi Arabia and Israel later this month have been postponed until July.

“NBC News” quoted sources as saying that “the White House is now planning a broader trip to the Middle East next month.”

“We are working on a trip to Israel and Saudi Arabia for the GCC+3 summit,” a senior administration official told NBC News. “We’re working to confirm the dates. When we have something to announce, we’ll do it.”

A foreign diplomat and two American officials explained to the network that “the stopover in Saudi Arabia (the visit) will not take place in late June,” while two American officials stated that “the trip to Israel has been postponed,” as both visits were expected to take place in Biden’s previously scheduled trip to Germany and Spain. This month.

The reason for the delay was not immediately clear, while the foreign diplomat and two officials to the network indicated that “they learned yesterday, Friday, of the postponed travel plans.”

US officials added that “the dates are still in flux and could change again,” while the White House declined to comment on the travel route, and the Israeli and Saudi embassies in Washington did not immediately respond to inquiries Friday evening.

Biden’s plans to visit Saudi Arabia have come under rapid scrutiny given the country’s human rights record and the president’s previous comments about the oil-rich country, according to NBC News.

A group of relatives of victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks wrote to Biden this week saying that if he travels to the kingdom, he should raise “accountability” issues over alleged ties between some of the 9/11 hijackers and Saudi officials, NBC News reported.

Last Thursday, NBC News reported that Biden is expected to visit Saudi Arabia and Israel this month, citing five sources familiar with the matter.

Asked by a reporter on Friday morning about reports of a trip to Saudi Arabia, Biden said a layover was possible but that “I’m not sure if I’m going.”

He added, “I got involved in trying to work with how to achieve more stability and peace in the Middle East…there is a possibility that I will meet with both the Israelis and some Arab countries at that time, including, as I expect, it will be Saudi Arabia, and it will be included in that.” If I go…but I don’t have any immediate plans at the moment…we are looking into it.”