Biden's visit

US President Joe Biden's upcoming visit to Israel this week could lay the foundations for a single market space in the Middle East. This was the view expressed by Jewish Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman speaking at an economic conference on Monday.

Asked what expectations he has for the American leader's upcoming visit Avigdor Lieberman said: "Creating a new, common market in the Middle East is the biggest challenge."

In his assessment, the formation of a common market space would bring great changes for the entire region. "It would change the reality here from start to finish, both in the security and the economy. So I hope the emphasis during Biden's visit will be on creating this new market in the Middle East," the Israeli minister said.

The US president will undertake a Middle East tour from 13 to 16 July, during which he will visit Israel, the West Bank and Saudi Arabia. According to the Washington administration, he plans to meet with about "a dozen colleagues" from countries in the region and beyond. Biden's visit to Israel is scheduled for July 13 and 14.

On July 10, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, speaking at the weekly government meeting about Biden's upcoming visit, said Israel would convey a "message of peace and hope" to Saudi Arabia through the American leader. He stressed that the Jewish state is "reaching out to all countries in the region" and is determined to build relations with all neighbours.

It is worth noting that in September 2020 in Washington, the Israeli side signed documents on normalising relations with the UAE and Bahrain with US mediation. In the West, the trilateral deal was dubbed the "Abrahamic Accords". Subsequently, Sudan and Morocco announced normalisation of relations with Israel. Prior to peace with the UAE and Bahrain, the Jewish state had diplomatic relations with only Egypt and Jordan among Arab countries.