US Secretary of State Antony Blinken officially announced on Monday night that US President Joe Biden will visit Israel on Wednesday. Blinken made the announcement following a lengthy meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu which was held at the Kirya base in Tel Aviv and lasted for approximately seven and a half hours. “On Wednesday, President Biden will visit Israel. He’s coming here at a critical moment for Israel, for the region, and for the world,” Blinken wrote in a post on X. In a separate post, Blinken wrote, “Today, at our request, the United States and Israel have agreed to develop a plan that will enable humanitarian aid from donor nations and multilateral organizations to reach civilians in Gaza, including the possibility of creating areas to help keep civilians out of harm’s way.” Biden himself later wrote on X, “On Wednesday, I'll travel to Israel to stand in solidarity in the face of Hamas's brutal terrorist attack.” “I'll then travel to Jordan to address dire humanitarian needs, meet with leaders, and make clear that Hamas does not stand for Palestinians' right to self-determination,” he added. Biden is expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders during the one-day trip. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that Biden would also visit Jordan where he will meet with King Abdullah, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. “We’ve been crystal clear about the need for humanitarian aid to be able to continue to flow into Gaza. That has been a consistent call by President Biden and certainly by this entire administration,” Kirby said, according to The Associated Press . Earlier on Monday, Hebrew language media reported that Biden had accepted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's invitation to visit Israel and will arrive for a solidarity visit with the Jewish State on Wednesday. Following the reports in Israel, three US officials told NBC News that Biden is “strongly considering” a trip to Israel as early as this week. The officials said planning is underway, including on the ground in Israel, for a potential visit from Biden. On Sunday, a senior administration official told The Associated Press that the President is considering a trip to Israel in the coming days, but nothing has been finalized. Related articles: 'I wouldn't say I waved off attack on Iran, I'm not in a rush' Conf. of Presidents welcomes Huckabee as US Ambassador to Israel US sending significant weapons shipments to Israel Huckabee reveals first thing he will do upon arriving in Israel Those comments came after Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had invited Biden for a solidarity visit to Israel amid the war with Hamas. Biden and Netanyahu spoke on Saturday night , the fifth time since Hamas launched its murderous terror attack against Israel, and after Biden stood with Israel time and again and firmly supported it.
