Jordan’s King is First Arab Leader to Speak With Biden

King Abdullah II of Jordan became the first Arab leader to speak with President-elect Joe Biden. They spoke by phone on Monday. Biden and the king talked about strengthening their countries’ strategic partnership and working together on containing COVID-19, combating climate change and countering terrorism, according to reports. The king expressed “keenness to continue bolstering the strategic partnership between the two countries to expand cooperation, in service of mutual interests and regional security and stability,” according to a statement tweeted by the Royal Hashemite Court. Biden also discussed his support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Meanwhile, preparations are underway for a phone conversation between Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Biden, Haaretz reported, citing unnamed Western diplomats. Biden spoke last week with Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin.