Killing of Palestinian journalist threatens to overshadow Biden's Israel trip Joe Biden flies to the Middle East on Tuesday for his first trip to the region since entering the White House. Before a visit to Saudi Arabia – one which reawakens the age-old foreign policy dilemma of realpolitik versus human rights – the US president goes to Israel, where he risks becoming entangled in the storm surrounding the fatal shooting of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in May.