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© Reuters. File photo: US President Joe Biden speaks at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA on July 13, 2021. REUTERS/Leah Millis
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Steve Holland
WASHINGTON (Reuters)-U.S. President Joe Biden will receive King Abdullah of Jordan on Monday. He is an important U.S. ally in turbulent regions and is expected to soon hold three-stage meetings with leaders in the Middle East.
Abdullah faced a challenge to his authority from his half-brother Prince Hamza in April. He will hold the Oval Office meeting with Biden for the first time since the U.S. President came to power in January.
On Tuesday, he will also have a working breakfast with Vice President Kamala Harris at the Vice President’s residence. He will meet with Secretary of State Anthony Brinken at the State Department on Tuesday.
Abdullah plays a unique role in the Middle East and is regarded by US officials as a moderate and pragmatic leader who can play a mediating role.
Abdullah is the first Middle Eastern leader to visit the Biden White House, and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Kadimi will follow him on July 26. U.S. and Israeli officials are working hard to arrange for Biden to meet soon with Israel’s new Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.
A senior official in the Biden administration stated that the president’s talks with the king are expected to include the direction of the Israelis and Palestinians. Bennett recently replaced Benjamin Netanyahu as Israeli prime minister.
After Israeli and Hamas militants fought an 11-day war in the Gaza Strip in May, tensions remain high.
Abdullah’s position in his own country may appear in the negotiations. After Prince Hamza was accused of plotting to destabilize the country in April, Jordan’s image as a stable island in the turbulent Middle East was questioned.
Biden has provided full support to Abdullah, and his wife, Queen Rania, will join the White House.
A senior official in the Biden administration said: “We have full confidence in the king’s leadership, and I think the visit in the next few days will reaffirm this confidence.”
The official said that other topics that might emerge include the future of the Trump-era Abraham Agreement, Israel’s normalization agreement with four Arab countries, negotiations with Iran on its nuclear program, and the humanitarian crisis in Syria.
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