Obama Visits West Bank For Talks With Mahmoud Abbas

US President Barack Obama has arrived in the West Bank city of Ramallah for talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

Meeting Mr Obama off his helicopter, Mr Abbas took him to his presidential compound for talks likely to focus on the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

The American leader is spending a few hours in Ramallah and Palestinian expectations are low, analysts say.

On his first visit as US president, Mr Obama vowed strong support for Israel.

At talks on Wednesday, the US leader and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed their commitment to a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict

Speaking in Jerusalem, Mr Obama said a central element of securing a lasting peace in the Middle East “must be a strong and secure Jewish state where its security concerns are met, alongside a sovereign and independent Palestinian state”.

Two rockets were fired from Gaza into southern Israel on Thursday morning, Israeli police say, but there were no reports of anyone being hurt.

Mr Abbas condemned “violence in any form, including firing of rockets”, according to a Palestinian spokesperson.

BBC