Biden's Jordan stop to meet with Arab leaders canceled
President Biden's planned stop in Jordan, which was to take place after his visit to Israel, has been canceled. Jordan's foreign minister said the scheduled meeting with Arab leaders has been called off.
The decision to cancel the Jordan meetings was "mutual," according to a senior administration official. Mr. Biden is still traveling to Israel for meetings that will take place Wednesday.
The White House confirmed the cancellation as the president departed Washington, D.C., for Israel, less than 24 hours after the trip was announced. Mr. Biden had been scheduled to travel to Amman, Jordan, to meet with Jordan's King Abdullah II, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Shortly before the president's departure, a blast at a hospital in Gaza killed and injured civilians, although the extent of the casualties is not yet clear. A spokesman for the Israeli Defense Forces said Israel "did not strike that hospital," and Netanyahu said their systems indicate it was terrorists in Gaza who fired the rockets. But Hamas is blaming Israel for the attack.
"After consulting with King Abdullah II of Jordan and in light of the days of mourning announced by President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, President Biden will postpone his travel to Jordan and the planned meeting with these two leaders and President Sisi of Egypt," a White House official said in a statement released. "The president sent his deepest condolences for the innocent lives lost in the hospital explosion in Gaza, and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded. He looks forward to consulting in person with these leaders soon, and agreed to remain regularly and directly engaged with each of them over the coming days."