Amid COVID worries, fist bumps for Biden — with exceptions
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The White House said President Joe Biden would try to limit physical contact during his Middle East trip because of concern about rising COVID-19 cases — but the president swiftly reverted to his old-school, back-slapping ways after landing in Israel on Wednesday.
He doled out a few fist bumps after stepping off the plane but then threw an arm around Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid and shook hands with former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The issue of contact is arising amid intense speculation about Biden’s upcoming meeting with leaders in Saudi Arabia and whether he will shake hands with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who U.S. intelligence officials said probably sanctioned the killing of a critic.
It remained to be seen how Biden would greet other Israeli, Palestinian and Arab leaders during his trip, which includes a summit in Saudi Arabia of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Later Wednesday in Jerusalem at Yad Vashem, Israel’s memorial to Holocaust victims, Biden held hands and kissed the cheeks of survivors Rena Quint, 86, and Giselle Cycowicz, who is about 95.
“Did you see the president hug me?” Quint asked. “He asked permission to kiss me and he kept on holding my hand and we were told not to touch him.”
A new omicron variant, which is able to more easily evade immunity from vaccinations and previous infections, has revived concerns about the threat of the pandemic.
“We’re trying to minimize contact as much as possible where we can,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters traveling aboard Air Force One with the president.
But such precautions did not appear to be in place on Tuesday before Biden left for the Middle East, when he mingled and shook hands with members of Congress at a White House picnic.
Biden is set to meet with Saudi King Salman and the crown prince when he flies to the kingdom on Friday. The highly anticipated meeting is being closely scrutinized as the White House looks to
