President Biden was due to meet with Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Local authorities quickly stripped away public signs of support for the Islamic State group in this desert town. Black flags have been removed from rooftops. Graffiti proclaiming the extremists’ imminent victory have been whitewashed.
Israeli authorities gave preliminary approval Wednesday to build 200 homes in a Jewish area of east Jerusalem, a move that threatened to push Israelis and Palestinians deeper into conflict after weeks of unrest over the city’s holiest sites.