Biden shakes arms with Netanyahu after WH vowed he'd stay clear of the action on Mideast excursion

White Home National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan announced Wednesday that due to considerations about the COVID-19 pandemic, President Biden would not be shaking palms with any person in the course of this week's Center East journey.

Not very long afterwards, however, Biden fulfilled previous Israeli Prime Ministar Bibi Netanyahu, and shook arms with him.

Sullivan had talked about the plan although addressing reporters aboard Air Pressure Just one prior to the president's arrival in Israel, the initial halt on the excursion.

"I think just the easiest way for me to put it is that we're in a phase of the pandemic right now where by we're hunting to improve masking, lessen contact, to minimize spread," Sullivan said.

Whilst Sullivan acknowledged that "how accurately that plays out in any specified conversation is anything that we will see," the normal no-call coverage is a shift in protocol specified that the president experienced participated in hand-shaking sessions with individuals at the White Household during the earlier two days.

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Sullivan insisted, even so, that the adjust "is not irregular" due to the fact precautions are taken on abroad trips like the just one Biden is getting. He did be aware that the president analyzed unfavorable for COVID-19 prior to Wednesday morning's flight.

White Home push secretary Karine Jean-Pierre later on backed this up, stating that the decisions are designed by Biden's physician. Citing the distribute of the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants, she reported "it is acceptable to just take hope him to consider further safeguards."

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One reporter, referencing Biden shaking palms on the White House's South Garden, asked if the no-handshake precaution was a new adjust in policy and if it experienced something to do with issues about currently being seen shaking palms with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Biden is established to vacation to Saudi Arabia from Israel later this week, and he will be looking at the crown prince and his father, King Salman.

"This is up to his medical professional," Jean-Pierre insisted, saying that this is not an formal change in policy, but just an effort "to reduce get hold of as much as attainable."

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"We want to make guaranteed that we're taking those people precautions to continue to keep him protected and to keep all of us harmless, and we just want to be very crystal clear on that," she extra.

As he disembarked from Air Force A person, Biden was greeted by a number of Israeli officers. Whilst he did not shake palms with them, the president did fist bump just about all of them and put a hand on their shoulders although indicating a few words to each individual.

Immediately after that, he and Netanyahu shook hands.