Obama visits Israel, offers assurances
In a historic trip Wednesday, President Barack Obama addressed concerns the U.S. and its ally Israel have about security in the Middle East.
Israel
Seeking a fresh start to a strained relationship, Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demonstrated solidarity on the key issues that have stirred tensions between them. The U.S. president vowed he would do "what is necessary" to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, while Netanyahu reaffirmed that his newly formed government seeks a two-state solution to Israel's decades-long dispute with the Palestinians. Read the full story.
Syria
Obama pledged to investigate reports that Syria had used chemical weapons for the first time in its two-year civil war. And he sternly warned Syrian leader Bashar Assad that use of such weapons would be a "game-changer," one that could potentially draw the U.S. military into the conflict for the first time. Read the full story.
Iran
The two leaders sought to show they were united in their desire to prevent Iran from developing what Obama called "the world's worst weapons."
Obama said he continues to prefer a diplomatic solution and sees time to achieve it. Although he did not promise that the United States would act militarily against Iran if Israel decided that must be done, he offered an explicit endorsement for Israel to take whatever unilateral measures it deems necessary to guard against the threat. Read the full story.
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