The White House said Wednesday that President Joe Biden would limit physical contact during his Middle East tour, citing coronavirus concerns, as he landed in Israel ahead of a trip to Saudi Arabia.
Biden, 79, began his first regional visit as president by landing at Ben Gurion airport near the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv and he will fly to the Saudi city of Jeddah later this week.
Citing concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, Biden's press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said "it's reasonable to expect (Biden) to take some additional precautions.
"We're trying to minimize contact as much as possible," she told reporters on Air Force One.
"I wouldn't say there's a change" in health protocols, she added.
Biden refrained from shaking hands with Israeli dignitaries who greeted him on the tarmac at Israel's Ben Gurion airport on Wednesday.
He did hold brief, but close and mask-less, face-to-face discussions with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Yair Lapid and alternate premier Naftali Bennett. They all exchanged fistbumps.
Biden however did shake hands with an old acquaintance who greeted him at the airport -- former Israeli prime minister and current opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu had a fraught relationship with former US president Barack Obama's administration, in which Biden served as vice president, amid a bitter dispute over how to contain Iran's nuclear ambitions.
According to Netanyahu's office, Biden told the ex-premier: "You know I love you," as they met on Wednesday.
Biden, known for his warmth, was also seen shaking hands during an event with lawmakers at the White House just ahead of his trip.
