Obama, in Israel, Vows to Work for Peace as President

Notes weakness of current governments
By Jonas Oransky,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 22, 2008 5:16 PM CDT
Obama, in Israel, Vows to Work for Peace as President
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., walks through Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel.   (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Barack Obama touched down in Israel late today, promising work on peace negotiations “starting from the minute I’m sworn into office.” He said that while the “historic and special relationship” between the US and Israel “is not going to change,” an American president could be more concerned with “the legitimate difficulties that the Palestinian people are experiencing,” the AP reports.

He also condemned a violent attack in Jerusalem today, pledging “to work diligently” and “urgently…to defeat terrorism.” He said that no US president “can suddenly snap his fingers and bring about peace” and noted the harsh reality that today's Israeli government is “unsettled” and the Palestinian one is “divided.” The candidate will meet with a host of leaders tomorrow. (More Barack Obama stories.)

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