The much-anticipated meeting between Joe Biden and crown prince Mohammed bin Salman began shortly after the landing of the US President Jeddah on the next leg of him middle East Trip.
Upon arrival at the Al Salam Royal Palace, Mr Biden climbed out of the “beast” and punched the crown prince, who stood ready to greet him.
The couple then entered the palace to begin their bilateral meeting with him behind closed doorsKing Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud.
At the beginning of the President’s visit to Israel and Saudi ArabiaThe White House stressed that Mr. Biden would minimize contact with other leaders and officials as a precaution against Covid-19.
However, upon his arrival in Israel, the President accepted a series of handshakes from the delegation, who greeted him and later hugged and kissed two American Holocaust survivors.
Ahead of the trip, the White House’s insistence on fisticuffs was interpreted by some observers as a way of avoiding having to shake hands with such a controversial figure as the Saudi crown prince, who – according to a damning intelligence report – is said to have been directly involved in the assassination Jamal Khashoggithe Washington Post Journalist.
After shaking hands with so many officials in Israel, it was believed that Mr Biden may have retreated into an awkward position when meeting the crown prince and forced to offer the more traditional greeting.
White House reporter for The Washington Post Cleve R. Wootson noted on Twitter that “It’s important to note that whether it’s a fist bump or a handshake, MBS still gets what it craves: a very public display of validation from the leader of the free world”.
Ashley Parker, the paper’s White House Secretary, added: “Yeah, it’s more of a fist punch than a handshake. BUT Biden still fisted the man who ordered the murder – and bone saw dismemberment – of a US journalist after he refused to say if he would directly confront MBS over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. “
An official Saudi Twitter account quickly posted an image of the salute after it was broadcast by local and international networks.
The visit to the kingdom has been contentious for Mr Biden from the moment it was announced, as the president said during his 2020 election campaign his administration would turn this repressive kingdom – a longtime partner of purpose with the US – into one global outcast.
Such an apparent rhetorical and political reversal has not gone unnoticed in the US and is likely to occur in coming election cycles.
