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Daily Briefing July 17: Did Biden’s trip yield closer Israeli-Saudi ties? Jury’s out

Editor David Horovitz and US correspondent Jacob Magid dissect the president’s trip to the Holy Land and Saudi Arabia and weigh in on whether progress was made

Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.

Editor David Horovitz and United States correspondent Jacob Magid join host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today’s episode.

Magid, who is part of the journalists pool covering the trip of US President Joe Biden to the Holy Land and Saudi Arabia, shares what it’s like being a Jewish journalist in Jeddah, where casual antisemitism abounds.

We hear about the dissonant narratives regarding what could appear to some as warming ties between Israel and Saudia Arabia — but the idea is being roundly debunked by the Saudis.

Magid also reported on a frosty beginning to the meeting between Biden and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. What caused the chill?

Horovitz weighs in on the Israel leg of the Biden visit. Was it a success? And what is very different in the messaging of this US president vis-à-vis the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

Discussed articles include:

Contradicting Biden, Saudis deny opening of airspace is step toward ties with Israel

Saudi minister: Peace with Israel ‘strategic option’ but not before 2-state solution

Biden hails ‘historic’ Saudi decision allowing Israeli flights over its airspace

After Biden raises Khashoggi murder, MBS retorts with question on Abu Akleh killing

PA fumes after visiting Biden dismisses likelihood of two states ‘in near term’

Accepting medal, emotional Biden says Israel’s success ‘close to miraculous to me’

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