US Presidential Candidate Barack Obama Visits Jerusalem and Rammalah on Wednesday

Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses.

Wednesday July 23, 2008 16:25 by Kendra Puryear and Taylor Bray - 1 of International Middle East Media Center - IMEMC Editorial Group

United States Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama visited Jerusalem and Ramallah on Wednesday meeting with Defense Minister Ehud Barak, President Shimon Peres, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and other dignitaries.

While in Jerusalem, Obama met with President Shimon Peres and stated that the security of Israel will be of great importance to his administration if elected. Obama stated in a meeting with Peres that "I'm here on this trip to reaffirm the special relationship between Israel and the United States and my abiding commitment to Israel's security and my hope that I can serve as an effective partner, whether as a U.S. senator or as president,"Obama also expressed his deep concern about the conflict and if elected would start working towards a solution to peace between the Israelis and Palestinians.

While in Jerusalem, presidential hopeful met with Defense Minister Ehud Barak at the David King Hotel, as well as Benjamin Netanyahu, where they both expressed the importance of preventing Iran from becoming a prominent nuclear force. He then visited Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial and following that ceremony he met with President Shimon Peres.

The presidential candidate took a trip to the West Bank city of Ramallah where he met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. During the meeting, President Abbas briefed Obama of the peace process and the security situation for the Palestinians. The men discussed the key issues facing Palestinians including Jerusalem, the wall, refugees, settlements, water, and security.

Obama declared a full commitment to peace and security in the region, for Palestine and Israel. He declared to President Abbas that if he is elected, he will be a constructive partner for peace for this region. He also stated that security and peace for Palestine and Israel are vital American interests and talked about a possible two state solution and is committed to help President Abbas this two state solution become a reality by the end of this year. Obama got to see the wall and the road blocks on his trip to Ramallah, said a spokesperson.

Obama stated that decisions are required from Palestinians and Israelis and not from America. "The substance of the meeting was more important than the time," said a spokesperson. "The meeting left us feeling well about his [Obama's] commitment to peace." Obama stated that "it is not about pro-Israel or pro-Palestinian at this point, it is about Pro-peace and is divided with those who are pro-peace and those who are not." When asked how his meeting with Abbas went, Obama's response was simply "Excellent!"

Abbas receives Obama in Ramallah, talks about peace

www.chinaview.cn 2008-07-23 20:56:25

RAMALLAH, July 23 (Xinhua) --

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas received the U.S. Democrat presidential nominee Barack Obama at his office in Ramallah on Wednesday afternoon.

There was no scheduled joint news conference between Abbas and Obama, an aide to Abbas told reporters in Ramallah, adding that both held talks for about one hour and discussed the Middle East peace process.

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told reporters at the end of the meeting that Obama has assured Abbas that he will get involved in the Mideast conflict quickly if elected U.S. president.

Erekat said that Obama is willing to engage immediately in the protracted conflict, adding that "Obama confirmed to Abbas that he will be a constructive partner in the peace process."

"President Abbas welcomes this important visit and considers it evidence of the importance of the Palestinian issue in American foreign policy," he said, adding "Obama told Abbas he would not waste a minute if elected."

Obama caused outrage among the Palestinians in early June when he told a major U.S. pro-Israel lobbying group that Jerusalem must remain the "undivided" capital. The Palestinians consider the eastern part of the city as the capital of their state (as it was occupied by force by Israeli occupation forces in 1967).

The international community including the U.S. does not recognize the city as the eternal capital of the Jewish state. Israel claims that Arab east Jerusalem, which was annexed in the 1967, is part of the undivided city.

Obama, however, corrected his statements and said that the future of the city can be resolved through peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

Obama reiterates commitment to Israel's security

www.chinaview.cn 2008-07-23 19:29:42

JERUSALEM, July 23 (Xinhua) --

Visiting U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Wednesday assured Israeli officials that he is committed to the Jewish state's security.

"I'm here on this trip to reaffirm the special relationship between Israel and the United States and my abiding commitment to Israel's security and my hope that I can serve as an effective partner, whether as a U.S. senator or as president," Israeli daily Ha'aretz quoted Obama as saying at a meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres.

Earlier Wednesday, the U.S. senator held separate talks with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak and opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu, and visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem.

During the meeting with Netanyahu, Obama also stressed that Israel's security will always be a top priority, another daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported on its web site.

Ha'aretz also quoted Netanyahu as saying that both men agreed on the "primacy" of preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear power.

Later in the day, Obama is scheduled to meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and tour the rockets-stricken southern town of Sderot by helicopter before he holds talks with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in the evening.

The U.S. presidential hopeful is also scheduled to visit the West bank and meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

Responding to a bulldozer rampage in Jerusalem which happened hours before his arrival late Tuesday, Obama had said in Jordan that he strongly condemned the attack, and "will always support Israel in confronting terrorism and pursuing lasting peace and security."

Obama is scheduled to head for Europe early Thursday morning to continue his week-long overseas tour, which has taken him to Afghanistan, Kuwait, Iraq and Jordan.

Editor: Bi Mingxin

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