TEL AVIV
US President Barack Obama arrived in Tel Aviv on Wednesday.
Israel's President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally welcomed Obama who is paying his first visit to Israel since 2008 --the date he took over his term in office.
Obama will have a look at the Iron Dome missile defense system funded by the US, before heading to Jerusalem where he will come together with the Israeli president.
On the second day of his tour, Obama will visit the Israel Museum in Jerusalem and then travel to Ramallah to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Obama and Abbas will appear in a joint press conference and th US president is also expected to visit a youth center together with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.
On Friday, Obama will lay a wreath at the tomb of Israel's slain Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, and he will visit Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.
Once wrapping-up his talks in Israel, Obama is expected to head to Jordan.
