The Latest: Biden gets warm welcome from Israeli president

The Latest on U.S. President Joe Biden's trip to the Mideast:

JERUSALEM — President Joe Biden received a warm welcome as he arrived at the official residence of Israel’s ceremonial president on Thursday.

Biden was greeted by President Isaac Herzog and his wife Michal as they escorted him along a row of smiling children excitedly waving American and Israeli flags.

A loud technopop version of the Israeli song, “I was born for peace,” written in 1979 to mark Israel’s peace agreement with Egypt, blared in the background.

Biden signed the guest book and shook Herzog’s hand before noting that the president’s grandfather, the late Yitzhak Halevi Herzog, was the chief rabbi of Ireland. Biden often proudly boasts of his Irish roots.

“I also think it’s a great day for the Irish today,” Herzog said.

Herzog was to present Biden with Israel’s prestigious Presidential Medal of Honor.

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JERUSALEM — President Joe Biden declined to commit to mentioning the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S.-based writer, when he meets with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the kingdom.

“I always bring up human rights,” Biden said during a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Thursday. “But my position on Khashoggi has been so clear. If anyone doesn’t understand it, in Saudi Arabia or anywhere else, then they haven’t been around for a...