Biden arrives in Israel at start of Mideast tour

By Ahmed Asmar

ANKARA (AA) – US President Joe Biden landed at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport on Wednesday at the start of his Middle East tour.

Biden was welcomed at the airport by Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, his deputy Naftali Bennett and President Isaac Herzog, according to The Times of Israel newspaper.

Biden will visit the West Bank as part of his tour where he will meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The US president is scheduled to fly directly from Israel to Saudi Arabia on Thursday to participate in an Arab regional summit in Jeddah city with the participation of Arab leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Iraq, Jordan and Egypt.