Former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren describes President Joe Biden’s visit to Israel as “really superb.”
“It began with the president coming down and saying, ‘I am a Zionist,’ which may not sound so earth-shattering to Israelis or to Jews but to people in his own party, a progressive wing where Zionism has become almost a dirty word, that's an amazing thing for this president to say,” Oren tells Israel National News.
“He has reiterated his support for Israel's security. It's really unequivocal support and he has reiterated his undying commitment to ensuring that Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon.”
Oren adds that “it's equally important to note what he hasn't said, unlike President Obama.”
“[Biden] has not mentioned the ’67 borders or Israel's need to return to the ’67 borders. He has not mentioned in any way a redivision of Jerusalem or a Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem. Believe me the Palestinians aren't happy with it. I think that this is for Israel a sign that this is not Obama 2.0. Joe Biden is a different president and he is a dear and committed friend to the State of Israel.”
When asked about Biden’s visit to Saudi Arabia, Oren says:
“It’s clear what the president has to do – the gas prices in the United States have to come down if the Democrats are going to win in the midterm elections in November. If the president's going to win in another two years, those gas prices
have to come down. One of the ways they can get it down is getting the Saudis and other Gulf states to increase oil production.”
He calls the murder of Jamal Khashoggi the “issue that has been the bone in the throat” of the US-Saudi relationship.
“Biden initially declared the Saudis sort of a pariah state, he's going to have to somehow move away from that and get a reconciliation between the United States and Saudi Arabia,” Oren says.