Palestine seals off part of Ramallah ahead of Obama trip

Palestinian security forces beefed up security measures ahead of the US president's visit in Ramallah on Thursday, declaring the city "a security zone."

Ghassan Nemr, chief media official of the Palestinian authority, told the Anadolu Agency that Palestinians will not be allowed to enter or leave an area surrounding the Palestinian presidential residence as well as Al-Birah, a city adjacent to Ramallah in the central West Bank, from 9:00 a.m. till midnight.

Air Force One which carries Obama will land at Tel Aviv on Wednesday. Israel's President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will welcome Obama formally.

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 thUS 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 Isral, Obama is expected to head to Jordan.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013