JERUSALEM, Israel – President Biden will depart Friday on the first direct flight from the Jewish state to Saudi Arabia to attend an energy summit in the kingdom, the world’s largest oil exporter, in a meeting that will also include his Gulf. Biden noted that one reason for his trip was to restore US influence in the region. “There are so many issues at stake that I want to make it clear that we can continue to lead in the region and not create a vacuum, a vacuum that is filled by China and or Russia against the interests of both Israel and the United States and many others countries,” Biden said. President Biden speaks during an arrival ceremony after arriving at Ben Gurion Airport on July 13 in Tel Aviv, Israel. (AP/Evan Vucci) Biden’s goal in Jeddah, according to Middle East experts interviewed by Fox News Digital, is to lower gas pump prices for U.S. consumers. In exchange for lower fuel costs, the Gulf states want the world’s most powerful military to prevent the Iranians from acquiring nuclear weapons and end their terrorist activities in the region. NOT ANOTHER ‘PARIA’ STATE LIKE BIDEN ASKS FOR HELP FROM SAUDIS AS GAS PRICES RISE After then-candidate Biden vowed to make Saudi Arabia a “pariah” nation during the 2020 election campaign, he will face an uphill battle to repair frayed relations between the kingdom and the US. “It is not clear whether Saudi Arabia will pump more oil because these decisions are largely determined by their energy policy leaders’ assessments of global market dynamics and what is good for their country’s economic and strategic interests,” he said. Brian Katulis, senior partner and vice president; of politics at the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C., told Fox News Digital. “The Biden team would like to see prices fall and has asked Saudi Arabia to add more supply, but the decision depends mostly on its own decisions based on its assessment of the global market and less on requests from the United States or any other single country’. In this February 26, 1997 file photo, Khaled al-Otaiby, an executive of Saudi oil company Aramco monitors progress on a rig at the al-Howta oil field near Howta, Saudi Arabia. (AP Photo/John Moore, File) Earlier this year, the Saudis famously declined a request by Biden to speak on the phone amid a surge in oil prices over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Daniel Pipes, president of the Philadelphia-based Middle East Forum, was more optimistic about Biden’s chances of success. “If we take enough, enough is given in return, probably yes,” Pipes told Fox News Digital when asked if Riyadh would pump more oil to help lower gas prices. The Saudis want “protection against Iran, respect for the changes that are underway [the reforms in the Kingdom]a favorable market for its oil sales,” Pipes added. In return, the US wants “oil and friendly relations,” added the distinguished Middle East historian. Pipes noted the importance of ties between the two countries. “A relationship dating back to 1945 is now in question. Is the US government going to indefinitely make an atrocity the centerpiece of its policy? Will the Saudi monarchy turn to China? In all likelihood, things will come back in their old days normal, but that needs to be confirmed positively as it won’t happen by itself,” Pipes said. WHITE HOUSE UNVEILS KASSOGHI EXPOSURE THAT DESTROYES SAUDI CORRIDOR The atrocity he referred to was Saudi Arabia’s October 2018 killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and US resident, inside the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul. Former President Hassan Rouhani, second right, listens to Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization chief Ali Akbar Salehi during his visit to an exhibition of Iran’s new nuclear achievements in Tehran, Iran, in April 2021. (Iranian Presidency Office/AP) The Iranian regime and its drive to build nuclear weapons, according to Western governments and Israel, is the elephant in the room of security threats for the Saudis. “Iran is the key bedrock for Saudi Arabia’s relations with the outside world, including Washington,” Pipes said. “Tehran not only threatens Riyadh in terms of security, but challenges the Saudi claim to the leadership of the Ummah [Islamic community].” Katoulis added, “Iran is Saudi Arabia’s primary security concern, and Saudi leaders would like to hear what Biden’s Plan B is, because Biden’s Plan A for Iran has not met its stated goals. But this may take some time to develop as the Biden team is reluctant to abandon its original plans for Iran.” Biden’s Plan A is to bring Tehran back into compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the official name for the Iran nuclear deal that provides sanctions relief to the theocratic state in exchange for temporary curbs on its nuclear program. Nuclear talks between the Iranian regime and world powers continue, but so far without much success. The Israelis, Saudi Arabia and additional US allies in the Middle East see the Biden approach as deeply flawed because it introduced more than $100 billion in sanctions relief to the Iranian regime and its war chest. The funds will be used for Tehran’s nuclear program, its sponsorship of terrorism and its ballistic missile programs, Iran experts have long argued. BIDEN SHAKS HANDS WITH FORMER ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER, LAUNCHES ‘NO MANIPULATION’ POLICY AHEAD OF SAUDI MEETING Katoulis added, “Saudi leaders would also like to see stronger US commitments to regional security and a clearer blueprint for a long-term US strategy for the region.” As for Saudi Arabia’s efforts under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, known by his initials MBS, to reform the ultra-Orthodox religious state, observers are making significant progress. “The modernization process continues step by step. It is far from complete, but each year that passes finds Saudi Arabia less of an eccentricity, more of a normal country,” Pipes said. Observers say MBS has had successes within the kingdom through his social and economic reforms, such as allowing women to drive. However, they say much still needs to change, particularly when it comes to human rights and religious freedom. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) “Within the kingdom, social and economic reforms that are particularly popular with the next generation of Saudis continue to advance in significant ways, and old ways of thinking based on a conservative interpretation of Islam are further pushed to the margins.” said Catoulis. “Nevertheless, Saudi Arabia remains an absolute monarchy that does not tolerate a diversity of opinions and continues to take disturbing measures to stifle dissent. It has a lot of work to do to respect basic human rights and freedoms, including religious freedom .” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP On Thursday, Biden was once again asked about Khashoggi and whether he will raise the issue with the Saudis. “My views on Khashoggi have been absolutely, positively clear, and I’ve never been quiet about talking about human rights,” Biden said. Observers say one sign of whether Friday and Saturday’s meetings with the Saudis are successful will be watching prices at gas pumps on Main Street next week. Benjamin Weinthal reports on Middle East affairs. You can follow Benjamin Weinthal on Twitter @BenWeinthal.
