Israel's Lapid lands in NY, to meet King Abdullah amid Palestinian violence

This will be the second meeting between Prime Minister Yair Lapid and King Abdullah II as violence takes over Nablus' streets.

The United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York, US (photo credit: REUTERS)
The United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York, US
(photo credit: REUTERS)

NEW YORK - Prime Minister Yair Lapid is set to meet with Jordan's King Abdullah Tuesday in New York, on the sidelines of the high-level opening of the 77th United Nations General Assembly.

It's the second meeting between the two leaders since Lapid took office in July.

It comes amid escalating tensions between Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank.

King Abdullah is expected to address the UN General Assembly today, Lapid will speak on Thursday and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to speak on Friday.

There are no plans for Lapid to meet with Abbas or with US President Joe Biden.

 Prime Minister Yair Lapid meets with King Abdullah II of Jordan, July 27, 2022 (credit: CHAIM TZACH/GPO)
Prime Minister Yair Lapid meets with King Abdullah II of Jordan, July 27, 2022 (credit: CHAIM TZACH/GPO)

Lapid, however, will also meet on Tuesday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, hours after the Turkish leader is slated to address the UNGA. Their face-to-face conversation will mark the first such meeting between an Israeli Prime Minister and Erdogan since 2008. 

It is symbolic of the warming ties between the two countries, along a long period in which full diplomatic ties were downgraded.

Lapid will also meet with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and with his British and Greek counterparts Liz Truss and Kyriakos Mitsotakos.

Among the global themes likely to dominate the UNGA's opening session are Russia's war on Ukraine and Iran's growing nuclear program. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will deliver a virtual address to the UNGA on Wednesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be at the assembly, but the country's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will be speaking there on Saturday.

Both Biden and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will be at the UNGA and delivering addresses on the same morning.