Obama on first Israel trip as president vows 'eternal' alliance

 

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".
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.
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.