President Obama visits the Middle East

U.S. President Barack Obama, left, and Jordan's King Abdullah II, right, shake hands following their joint new conference at the King's Palace in Amman, Jordan, Friday, March 22, 2013.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP
President Barack Obama and Jordan's King Abdullah II participate in a joint news conference Friday, March 22, 2013, in Amman, Jordan.

Carolyn Kaster | AP
President Barack Obama and Jordan's King Abdullah II arrive for their joint new conference at the King's Palace in Amman, Jordan Friday, March 22, 2013.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP
President Barack Obama and Jordan's King Abdullah II participate in an arrival ceremony at the King's Palace in Amman, Jordan Friday, March 22, 2013.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP
President Barack Obama walks with Jordanian King Abdullah II, to participate in an official arrival ceremony at the Al-Hummar Palace, the residence of Jordanian King Abdullah II, Friday, March 22, 2013, in Amman, Jordan.

Carolyn Kaster | AP
U.S. President Barack Obama's convoy drives in Jerusalem, Friday, March 22, 2013. When Obama decided to visit the Mideast, he knew he would be coming to a political maelstrom, but probably didn’t expect to be swept up in a dust storm. Fierce winds began howling Friday afternoon, dirtying the air with a layer of smelly, beige dust. According to one weather report, winds gusted at about 27 miles an hour _ an extreme and unusual weather pattern even for the region’s arid climate. (

Sebastian Scheiner | AP
U.S. President Barack Obama, center left, walks with Jordanian Foreign Minister, Nasser Judeh upon his arrival in Amman, Jordan, Friday, March 22, 2013.

Mohammad Hannon | AP
President Barack Obama shakes hands with Israeli President Shimon Peres after Peres presented him the Israeli Medal of Distinction, Thursday, March 21, 2013, at a State Dinner at President’s residence in Jerusalem, Israel

Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP
President Barack Obama receives the Israeli Medal of Distinction from Israeli President Shimon Peres, Thursday, March 21, 2013, at a State Dinner at President’s residence in Jerusalem, Israel, Thursday, March 21, 2013.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP
President Barack Obama smiles during his speech at the Jerusalem Convention Center in Jerusalem, Israel, Thursday, March 21, 2013,

Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP
President Barack Obama pauses during his speech at the Jerusalem Convention Center in Jerusalem, Israel, Thursday, March 21, 2013,

Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP
President Barack Obama looks into the crowd for a person yelling at him during his speech at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem, Thursday, March 21, 2013.

Carolyn Kaster | AP
U.S. President Barack Obama, right, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu take a bite of matzah as they tour the Technology Expo in Jerusalem, Israel,Thursday, March 21, 2013.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP
U.S. President Barack Obama, right, walks alongside of with Sgt. Theresa Hannigan, left, from Long Island, New York and Radi Kaiuf, center, during a tour of the Technology Expo in Jerusalem, Israel, Thursday, March 21, 2013. Hannigan and Kaiuf where demonstrating technology that assist paraplegics to walk again.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP
U.S. President Barack Obama, second left, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, talk with Professor Amir Geva, right, wearing a device to monitor brain activity, during their tour of the Technology Expo in Jerusalem, Israel,Thursday, March 21, 2013.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP
A Jordanian activist burns a representation of a U.S. flag, during a protest in front of the U.S. embassy against a visit by President Barack Obama to the kingdom, in Amman, Jordan, Thursday, March 21, 2013.

Mohammad Hannon | AP
A Jordanian activist chants anti-U.S. slogans, during a protest in front of the U.S. embassy against the upcoming visit by President Barack Obama to the kingdom, in Amman, Jordan, Thursday, March 21, 2013. The red flag reads in Arabic "the Jordanian Communist Party."

Mohammad Hannon | AP
Palestinians hold a poster depicting U.S. President Barack Obama during a protest against his visit in the West Bank city of Nablus, Thursday, March 21, 2013. Arabic reads, "who does not respect our rights, we will not respect him."

Nasser Ishtayeh | AP
Isreali right wing activists carry a banner calling for the release of Jonathan Pollard, a Jewish American who was jailed for life in 1987 on charges of spying on the United States, in Jerusalem. Thursday, March 21, 2013. Obama delivered an impassioned appeal Thursday for Israel to recognize that compromise will be necessary to achieve lasting security and take steps to reverse an “undertow” of international isolation that is worsened by its failure to make peace with the Palestinians.

Tsafrir Abayov | AP
Greenpeace activists place a large banner on a rail bridge at the entrance to Jerusalem, Thursday, March 21, 2013. Greenpeace activists protested Thursday against arctic drilling during US President Barack Obama's visit to the region.

Sebastian Scheiner | AP
Palestinians play cards and smoke water-pipes at a coffee shop, as U.S. President Barack Obama appears on television in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Thursday, March 21, 2013. Obama on Thursday urged Israelis and Palestinians to get back to peace talks but offered no new ideas on how they might do so, essentially abandoning his previous support of the Palestinian demand for Israel to halt settlement activity before negotiations resume.

Bernat Armangue | AP
US President Barack Obama and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during their joint news conference at the Muqata President Compound in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Thursday, March 21, 2013.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP
President Barack Obama and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas shake hands during a joint news conference at the Muqata Presidential Compound, in the West Bank town of Ramallah, Thursday, March 21, 2013.

Carolyn Kaster | AP
President Barack Obama waves to media as he walks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, right, as he arrives at the Muqata Presidential Compound Thursday, March 21, 2013, in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

Carolyn Kaster | AP
President Barack Obama greets children during his visit to the Al-Bireh Youth Center in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Thursday, March 21, 2013.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP
President Barack Obama and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, center, greet members of a local youth dance group after watching them perform during their visit to the Al-Bireh Youth Center in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Thursday, March 21, 2013.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP
US President Barack Obama , right, walks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, during a welcoming ceremony prior to their meeting, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Thursday, March. 21, 2013. U.S. President Barack Obama is meeting Palestinian officials on the second day of his Mideast tour to emphasize the importance of reaching an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.

Majdi Mohammed | AP
US President Barack Obama, 3rd right, views the Dead Sea Scrolls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 2nd right, and Director of the Museum, James Snyder, far right at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, Israel, Thursday, March 21, 2013. After a visit to Israel's national museum to inspect the Dead Sea Scrolls, which highlight the Jewish people's ancient connection to the land that is now Israel, Obama headed to the West Bank to tell the Palestinians that the creation of a Palestinian state remains a priority for his administration.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP
President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu huddle during their joint news conference in Jerusalem, Israel,Wednesday, March 20, 2013.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP
President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu react to US television journalist Chuck Todd, from NBC, asking addition follow-up questions during a joint news conference in Jerusalem, Israel,Wednesday, March 20, 2013.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP
President Barack Obama is greeted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, at his residence in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, March 20, 2013.

Doug Mills | AP
President Barack Obama walks up the steps to greet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his residence in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, March 20, 2013.

Doug Mills | AP
President Barack Obama and Israeli President Shimon Peres walk around their podiums to greet each other following their joint statement to members of the media at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, Israel, Wednesday, March 20, 2013, (

Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP
President Barack Obama introduces Secretary of State John Kerry, left, to Israeli President Shimon Peres, during a meeting at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, Israel, Wednesday, March 20, 2013,

Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP
Israeli President Shimon Peres watches at right as President Barack Obama plants a magnolia tree during a planting ceremony at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, Israel, Wednesday, March 20, 2013. Obama help plant a magnolia tree which is a descendant of an original magnolia tree from the White House grounds.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP
President Barack Obama tours the garden of the President's Residence with Israeli President Shimon Peres in Jerusalem, Israel, Wednesday, March 20, 2013,

Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP
President Barack Obama signs a guest book, Wednesday, March 20, 2013, at the residence of Israeli President Shimon Peres, left, in Jerusalem.

Carolyn Kaster | AP
Children sing to President Barack Obama after he signed a guest book, Wednesday, March 20, 2013, at the residence of Israeli President Shimon Peres, standing right, in Jerusalem.

Carolyn Kaster | AP
US President Barack Obama, right, shakes hands with Israeli children as he is welcomed by Israeli President Shimon Peres, unseen, in Jerusalem, Wednesday, March 20, 2013. Obama arrived Wednesday in Israel for his first visit to the country, and only his second to the Middle East, outside of a quick jaunt to Iraq, since taking office. He will also be making his first trips as president to the Palestinian Authority and Jordan this week. (

Sebastian Scheiner | AP
Palestinian activists hold posters with the photo of US President Barack Obama near newly-erected tents in an area known as E1 near the settlement of Ma'aleh Adumim, near Jerusalem. Wednesday, March 20, 2013. Obama arrived Wednesday in Israel for his first visit to the country, and only his second to the Middle East, outside of a quick jaunt to Iraq, since taking office. He will also be making his first trips as president to the Palestinian Authority and Jordan this week.

Majdi Mohammed | AP
Israeli soldiers scuffle with a Palestinian activist wearing a mask of U.S. President Barack Obama during a protest in the West Bank town of Hebron, Wednesday, March 20, 2013. President Barack Obama is declaring common cause with Israel, highlighting the bonds between the United States and its Mideast ally. He says he has made Israel the first stop of the first trip of his second term to restate his commitment to Israel's security. Obama arrived Wednesday in Tel Aviv.

Bernat Armangue | AP
Palestinians rip an American flag during a protest against the visit of the U.S. President Barack Obama in Gaza City, Wednesday, March 20, 2013. Obama arrived Wednesday in Israel for his first visit to the country, and only his second to the Middle East, outside of a quick jaunt to Iraq, since taking office. He will also be making his first trips as president to the Palestinian Authority and Jordan this week.

Adel Hana | AP
US President Barack Obama, right, and Israel's President Shimon Peres walk together at the end of welcoming ceremony upon Obama's arrival at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, March 20, 2013. President Barack Obama is declaring common cause with Israel, highlighting the bonds between the United States and its Mideast ally. He says he has made Israel the first stop of the first trip of his second term to restate his commitment to Israel's security.

Ariel Schalit | AP
President Barack Obama, left, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, during his arrival ceremony at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, March 20, 2013,

Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP
President Barack Obama, center, with Israeli President Shimon Peres, left, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, during his arrival ceremony at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, March 20, 2013,

Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP
US President Barack Obama reviews an honor guard upon his arrival at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, March 20, 2013. President Barack Obama is declaring common cause with Israel, highlighting the bonds between the United States and its Mideast ally. He says he has made Israel the first stop of the first trip of his second term to restate his commitment to Israel's security.

Ariel Schalit | AP
President Barack Obama waves as he steps off Air Force One upon his arrival at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, March 20, 2013,

Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP

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