President Barack Obama has made his first official trip to Israel after being re-elected. The White House has officially downplayed the President’s trip to the middle east, mostly due to the ongoing conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. "I see this visit as an opportunity to reaffirm the unbreakable bond between our nations, to restate America's unwavering commitment to Israel's security and to speak directly to the people of Israel and to your neighbors,” said Obama at Tel Aviv airport. The United States and Israel have been allies for quite some time.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu of Israel was pleased to welcome the President in stating "Thank you for standing by Israel at this time of historic change in the Middle East.” While the two leaders have not always been on the best terms, the United States and Israel remain in support of one-another as Israel continues to deal with outside threats.
“Across this region the winds of change bring both promise and peril,” President Obama said. “So I see this visit as an opportunity to reaffirm the unbreakable bonds between our nations, to restate America’s unwavering commitment to Israel’s security, and to speak directly to the people of Israel and to your neighbors.”
Obama went on to inspect Israeli missile defenses and other weapons after being driven via SUV to a nearby military compound. Afterwards, the President visited Israeli President Shimon Peres with a magnolia tree to present as a gift. "It is an incredible honor to offer this tree to this beautiful garden, and to someone who is champion of the Israeli people and a champion of peace," Obama said.
