U.S. Vice President Biden Begins Middle East Tour in Abu Dhabi
U.A.E. capital is the first stop on Biden's Middle East visit, in which he plans to travel around the region including Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is in the capital of the United Arab Emirates at the start of a Mideast tour.
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- Netanyahu: Biden visit is proof of strong ties between Israel and U.S.
Biden visited Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque on Monday morning, pausing outside to remove his black dress shoes in keeping with Islamic custom.
He examined a wall in the ornate mosque bearing the 99 names of God written in Arabic before stepping outside to wave at visiting tourists kept a short distance away.
Accompanying Biden on the mosque tour was its director-general, Yousif Abdallah Alobaidli, and Minister of State Reem al-Hashimi.
Biden is on a regional tour that will also include visits to Israel, the West Bank and Jordan.