Summary Us president insists the United States was proud to stand as Israel's strongest ally.
TEL AVIV (AFP) - President Barack Obama said on Wednesday that "peace must come to the Holy Land," insisting the United States was proud to stand as Israel s strongest friend and ally, after landing in Tel Aviv.
"Peace must come to the Holy Land. We will never lose sight of an Israel at peace with its neighbours," Obama said, as he began his first visit to the Jewish state as president. "Our alliance is eternal. It is for ever."
US President Barack Obama said at the start of his first official visit to Israel on Wednesday that US commitment to the security of the Jewish state was rock solid.
"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 neighbours," Obama said at a welcoming ceremony at Tel Aviv airport.
"I am confident in declaring that our alliance is eternal, is forever," he added.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday thanked Barack Obama for standing up for Israel s right to defend its existence, at a welcome ceremony after the US president landed near Tel Aviv.
"Thank you for defending Israel s right to unequivocably defend its right to exist," he said at Ben Gurion airport, shortly after Obama arrived for his first trip to Israel since becoming president more than four years ago.
