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July 23, 2008

Obama Meets Palestinian Leaders Under Tight Security 
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Democratic presidential hopeful, who met earlier with Israeli officials,
praised Israel as 'miracle that has blossomed' 
Sen. Barack Obama, left, with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas,
during a meeting in the West bank city of Ramallah, 23 Jul 2008Hundreds
of Palestinian security officers have deployed in the West Bank town of
Ramallah, as U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama meets
with Palestinian leaders.Senator Obama arrived in Ramallah Wednesday to
meet with President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayad,
something the Republican candidate for president, John McCain, did not
do during a visit to Israel in March.Earlier, Obama praised Israel as a
"miracle that has blossomed."Obama met separately with Israeli Defense
Minister Ehud Barak and opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu in
Jerusalem, focusing on regional security issues, including Iran. Obama
also met with Israeli President Shimon Peres and laid a wreath at Yad
Vashem, Israel's Holocaust memorial.Barack Obama, right, shakes hands
with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak in Jerusalem, 23 Jul 2008Obama
is als!
 o scheduled to travel to the Israeli town of Sderot, which has been
targeted by rocket attacks, and meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud
Olmert over dinner.Obama arrived in Israel late Tuesday, calling the
bond between the United States and Israel "one that cannot be broken."
Earlier in Jordan, Obama pledged to begin working for a breakthrough in
Israeli-Palestinian peace talks from his first day in office. But he
said it is unrealistic to expect a U.S. president to "suddenly snap his
fingers and bring about peace."

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.


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