Many people are questioning the value and even the purpose of US President Joe Biden’s visit to the Middle East last week. While the trip’s objective was obfuscated by the White House, one thing is clear: while some part of the visit was about energy security for the West, much of it was about Israel.
It was clear beforehand that Biden wanted to repair the damaged relationship between his administration and Saudi Crown Prince (and effective ruler) Mohammed bin Salman (or MBS), in order to get the Saudis to increase their oil production and ease high energy prices in the US and Europe.
But White House spokespersons sought to downplay the notion of a US president begging at the Saudi palace and said the trip was about normalising relations between Israel and Arab states, and particularly, Saudi Arabia.
They hoped this would seem like a strong reason for Americans, given historical support for Israel in the US and within his Democratic Party. It was a miscalculation, but that the trip had a lot to do with Israel was true.
The more substantial stops on the tour were Israel and Saudi Arabia, with a brief visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territory. In Israel, Biden did not mention anything about the expanding settlement project – illegal under international law and a violation of US policy.
He reiterated support for Donald Trump’s relocation of the US embassy to Jerusalem, which is not recognised as Israel’s capital under international law; made no comment about reopening the US consulate that had served Palestinians before Trump shut it down; pledged to continue the annual $3.8 billion military aid package to Israel; condemned Iran for wanting to develop nuclear weapons (Iran doesn’t; Israel is the only Middle East state with nuclear weapons); and signed an anti-Iran declaration with Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid.
Source: eNCA
In other news – Andile Mpisane’s wife Tamia appointed deputy chair lady of Royal AM
Businesswoman and football club owner, Shauwn “MaMkhize” Mkhize announced that she appointed her daughter-in-law Tamia Mpisane the Royal AM deputy chair lady via an Instagram post on Saturday 23 July.
MaMkhize took to Instagram to announce that she appointed her daughter-in-law Tamia Mpisane as the “deputy chair lady” of her football team Royal AM. Learn more
