Landing In Tel Aviv, Joe Biden: US Relations With Israel Are Stronger Than Ever

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid (Photo via @yairlapid)

JAKARTA - US President Joe Biden has landed in Tel Aviv in Israel on his first visit to the Middle East.

Air Force One landed at Ben Gurion airport on Wednesday, July 13 quoted by Al Jazeera.

Biden was warmly welcomed by Israeli officials. In his speech, Biden described the depth of US relations with Israel.

"The relationship between the Israeli people and America is deep... I am proud to say that the US relationship with Israel is deeper and stronger than ever," Biden said.

Biden also reiterated his support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In his speech, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid described Biden as a "great Zionist".

"Your relationship with Israel has always been personal," Lapid said, calling Biden the best friend Israel has ever known.

This is Biden's 10th visit to the country. The first was in 1973, when he was a first-term US senator from Delaware.

Biden will spend two days in Jerusalem for talks with Israeli leaders, including Lapid and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, before meeting Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday in the occupied West Bank.

After this, US President Joe Biden will visit Saudi Arabia saying that human rights issues will be high on the agenda of the visit.

Biden's decision contradicts his previous stance - denouncing Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as a pariah.

Biden will hold bilateral talks with King Salman bin Abdulaziz and other leaders, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, during a visit to the Middle East next week.