Peter Doocy: Biden’s Refusal to Shake Hands on Saudi Tour Due to Covid is Really About Avoiding a Photo With MBS
Days before a planned trip to Israel and Saudi Arabia, The White House revealed that President Joe Biden would not be shaking hands due to alleged concerns over Covid-19. Reporting from Israel, Fox News’ Peter Doocy strongly suggested, however, that this is just a ruse to avoid a photo-op with controversial Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman with whom Biden will be meeting.
The Saudi Prince is reported to have ordered the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018. The Washington Post publisher recently wrote a column that condemned Biden’s trip to meet bin Salman which will ostensibly include a request for the oil-rich nation to pump more barrels of crude oil to help lower record gas prices in the United States.
The Jerusalem Post reported that “The White House has reportedly told Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s office that due to the surge in COVID-19 infections in the US and Israel, the president will refrain from shaking hands.”
Appearing on Fox & Friends, Doocy noted “Officials don’t have to worry about a photo of the president shaking hands with MBS. He is not going to shake hands with anybody. Not in Saudi Arabia, not here in Israel. White House officials are apparently saying that is because of concern about Covid.”
“Hold it,” exclaimed co-host Steve Doocy (father to Peter), “Peter, yesterday, at the White House, the president had a picnic with hundreds of people and he shook hundreds of hands yesterday, so what’s the deal?”
“Hundreds,” young Doocy confirmed. “Remember, a week and a half ago we were on this show in Spain at NATO. There were two dozen countries there having indoor meetings. No problem with handshaking there or at the G-7 in Germany a few days before that so we have seen the president doing a lot of this.”
“They say it’s Covid,” he continued. “But it is also just coincidentally a way to avoid a photo that they really do not want which is the one shaking hands with MBS.”
“Clever way to spin it,” chimed in Ainsley Earhardt.
Watch above, via Fox News.
