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| Obama on first Israel trip as president vows 'eternal' alliance | Obama on first Israel trip as president vows 'eternal' alliance |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Barack Obama has arrived in Israel for his first trip there as president, saying the US was proud to stand by Israel as its strongest ally. | Barack Obama has arrived in Israel for his first trip there as president, saying the US was proud to stand by Israel as its strongest ally. |
| After landing in Tel Aviv, Mr Obama also referred to the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process, saying "peace must come to the Holy Land". | After landing in Tel Aviv, Mr Obama also referred to the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process, saying "peace must come to the Holy Land". |
| US officials have tried to lower expectations of any significant headway on restarting the peace process. | US officials have tried to lower expectations of any significant headway on restarting the peace process. |
| Syria, and Iran's nuclear ambitions are expected to loom large in talks. | Syria, and Iran's nuclear ambitions are expected to loom large in talks. |
| Correspondents say Israelis are more preoccupied with instability in the wider Middle East region than with breathing new life into the peace process, which broke down in 2010 amid a dispute over continued Israeli settlement construction. | Correspondents say Israelis are more preoccupied with instability in the wider Middle East region than with breathing new life into the peace process, which broke down in 2010 amid a dispute over continued Israeli settlement construction. |
| Settlement supporters are a big force in Israel's new coalition government. | Settlement supporters are a big force in Israel's new coalition government. |
| 'Fundamental security interests' | 'Fundamental security interests' |
| Mr Obama was welcomed at Ben Gurion airport by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres. | Mr Obama was welcomed at Ben Gurion airport by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres. |
| He was introduced to Israeli ministers and leaders of religious communities and later shown a missile battery that forms part of Israel's Iron Dome defence system against rocket attacks. | |
| "Even as we are clear eyed about the difficulties, we will never lose sight of the vision of an Israel at peace with its neighbours," he said in brief comments. | |
| He added: "The United States stands with Israel because it is in our fundamental security interests to stand with Israel. Our alliance is eternal. It is forever." | He added: "The United States stands with Israel because it is in our fundamental security interests to stand with Israel. Our alliance is eternal. It is forever." |
| Mr Netanyahu said: "Thank you for defending Israel's right to unequivocally defend its right to exist." | Mr Netanyahu said: "Thank you for defending Israel's right to unequivocally defend its right to exist." |
| Mr Obama is due to hold talks with Mr Netanyahu later on Wednesday, and visit the West Bank on Thursday to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. | |
| At home Mr Obama has been criticised for not having visited Israel in his first term as president, with some saying it shows he is not close enough to the country. | At home Mr Obama has been criticised for not having visited Israel in his first term as president, with some saying it shows he is not close enough to the country. |
| The state of the economy and social issues dominated Israel's last election, and the president has said he is not going to the region bearing any grand peace plan. | The state of the economy and social issues dominated Israel's last election, and the president has said he is not going to the region bearing any grand peace plan. |
| But with warnings that time is running out for a two-state solution, some still think he will try to lay the ground for some greater effort to restart talks, BBC North America editor Mark Mardell reports from Jerusalem. | But with warnings that time is running out for a two-state solution, some still think he will try to lay the ground for some greater effort to restart talks, BBC North America editor Mark Mardell reports from Jerusalem. |
| The president's relationship with Mr Netanyahu has been notoriously frosty and one recent opinion poll suggested a mere 10% of the Israeli public had a favourable opinion of the US president. | The president's relationship with Mr Netanyahu has been notoriously frosty and one recent opinion poll suggested a mere 10% of the Israeli public had a favourable opinion of the US president. |
| 'Slap in the face' | 'Slap in the face' |
| The main event of this trip is a speech to the Israeli people - his main task is to build bridges and improve his image, which could give him more leverage over the new Israeli government, our correspondent adds. | The main event of this trip is a speech to the Israeli people - his main task is to build bridges and improve his image, which could give him more leverage over the new Israeli government, our correspondent adds. |
| Thousands of Israeli and Palestinian security officers have been assembled in Jerusalem and the Palestinians' de facto capital in the West Bank city of Ramallah, ahead of his trip. | Thousands of Israeli and Palestinian security officers have been assembled in Jerusalem and the Palestinians' de facto capital in the West Bank city of Ramallah, ahead of his trip. |
| On Tuesday Palestinian protesters gathered in Ramallah and Bethlehem, some throwing shoes at images of the president and others driving over his portrait. | On Tuesday Palestinian protesters gathered in Ramallah and Bethlehem, some throwing shoes at images of the president and others driving over his portrait. |
| Demonstrator Huwaida Arraf told Reuters news agency that Mr Obama's visit was "a slap in the face". | Demonstrator Huwaida Arraf told Reuters news agency that Mr Obama's visit was "a slap in the face". |
| "People are angry and disappointed that this far into his presidency Obama has done nothing, and aid to Israel's occupation continues to flow," he said. | "People are angry and disappointed that this far into his presidency Obama has done nothing, and aid to Israel's occupation continues to flow," he said. |
| Meanwhile, Israeli demonstrators gathered in Jerusalem to demand Mr Obama free Jonathan Pollard, imprisoned in the US in 1987 for spying for Israel. | Meanwhile, Israeli demonstrators gathered in Jerusalem to demand Mr Obama free Jonathan Pollard, imprisoned in the US in 1987 for spying for Israel. |
| "Let my people go," said one banner. | "Let my people go," said one banner. |