White House Confirms Biden To Meet With Jordan’s King Abdullah
Jordan’s King Abdullah will meet US President Joe Biden at the White House, the administration has confirmed. The meeting, which also will include Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein, is scheduled for Friday, the White House said in a statement. “King Abdullah’s visit to Washington, his second of the Biden Administration, will reinforce the close friendship and enduring partnership between the United States and Jordan. Jordan is a critical force for stability in the Middle East and strategic partner and ally of the United States,” the statement said. Abdullah was the first Arab leader to meet with the US president at the White House last year after Biden was sworn in.
The White House announcement comes after reports of such a meeting surfaced in the Arab press, citing unnamed sources. Abdullah already has been in the US for several days, and has met in New York with religious figures, during which he reportedly discussed the current violence in Jerusalem. He is also scheduled to meet in Washington with government officials and lawmakers, including a congressional delegation led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The meeting between Biden and Abdullah comes ahead of Biden’s trip to Israel next month, which could include a visit to east Jerusalem, reportedly to a hospital that cares for Palestinians.