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Last update - 10:19 23/07/2008 'No excuses,' says visiting Obama about bulldozer terrorist By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: obama, israel, jerusalem  The presumptive Democratic presidential candidate, U.S. Senator Barack Obama, arrived Tuesday for what is scheduled to be a 36-hour visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority. In a statement at Ben-Gurion International Airport, after arriving from Jordan, Obama condemned an attack a few hours earlier by a Palestinian tractor driver who ran amok on a Jerusalem street, smashing into a bus, overturning a car and seriously injuring an Israeli before being shot dead by a civilian and a police officer. "It's just one more reminder why we have to work diligently, urgently and in a unified way to defeat terrorism," Obama said. "There are no excuses." Advertisement From the airport, Obama was driven to Jerusalem's King David Hotel, a few hundred meters from where the attack took place. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who is to dine with Obama tonight, is expected to tell him that time is running out for dealing with Iran's nuclear ambitions and that everything must be done to halt its uranium enrichment. A senior Jerusalem official noted that Olmert will brief Obama on a range of issues, including Iran and the state of the negotiations with the Palestinians and with Syria. The source said Olmert intends to give Obama a full picture of Israeli intelligence vis-a-vis Iran, stressing the need to take rapid action to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons capability. With regard to Syria, Olmert will emphasize his desire for U.S. involvement in the Syria-Israel negotiations, with an eye toward advancing them and turning them into direct, bilateral talks. Olmert will point out to Obama the way the negotiations can contribute to U.S. interests. Israeli officials attribute great significance to Obama's visit. The preparations for his visit have been much more intensive than those for that of Obama's Republican counterpart, John McCain, a few months ago. Obama's large entourage includes his Middle East advisers Dennis Ross and Daniel Kurtzer, both of whom have close ties with Israel and the PA. The press corps traveling with Obama consists of about 100 U.S. and foreign journalists. The senator was to have breakfast Wednesday morning with Defense Minister Ehud Barak, which was to be followed immediately by a meeting with opposition leader and Likud chairman MK Benjamin Netanyahu. After that, Obama is to go to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, where he will be given a tour of the museum and lay a wreath at the Hall of Remembrance. Obama's will end his morning with a meeting with President Shimon Peres at the President's Residence. Wednesday afternoon, Obama will travel to the Muqata in Ramallah for a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas before returning to Jerusalem for a brief meeting with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. Following their meeting, Obama and Livni will be joined by Defense Minister Ehud Barak for a helicopter tour of the "seam" between Israel and the West Bank. The helicopter will bring Obama, Livni and Barak to Sderot, for a meeting with Public Security Minister Avi Dichter, Mayor Eli Moyal and area residents. Obama will hold a press conference before returning to the capital in the evening. Olmert will host Obama at a dinner at his residence, after which the senator is scheduled to visit the Western Wall, where he will insert a note between the stones, in keeping with tradition. Obama will leave Israel Thursday morning, to continue his trip in Europe. Obama's itinerary WEDNESDAY: 8 A.M. Breakfast at the King David Hotel with Defense Minister Ehud Barak 8:45 A.M. Meeting at the hotel with opposition leader MK Benjamin Netanyahu 9:45 A.M.  Visit to Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, wreath-laying at Hall of Remembrance 11 A.M.  Meeting with President Shimon Peres 1:30 P.M.  Meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Muqata, in Ramallah 2:45 P.M.  Meeting with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni 4:15 P.M.  Visit to Sderot with Livni and Public Security Minister Avi Dichter 5:10 P.M.  Press conference at Sderot police station 8:30 P.M.  Dinner with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert 10:10 P.M.  Visit to the Western Wall THURSDAY: 6:40 A.M.  Obama leaves for Europe Bookmark to del.icio.us   The bigger apple Study shows Tel Aviv is more expensive to live in than New York. When bedbugs bite After 40 years' absence, Israel braces for return of the bedbug.   1.   Cut the platitudes Obama and get down to business! 02:31  |  lakshmi 23/07/08   2.   The Israel and Jew-haters should take a lesson from Obama 02:54  |  The Equalizer 23/07/08   3.   Watch out...chameleons change with their surroundings 03:02  |  Nechama 23/07/08   4.   Obama never had have sympathy for the Israeli?s 03:18  |  e.m.Jordan is Palest 23/07/08   5.   Obama never had have sympathy for the Israeli?s 03:18  |  e.m.Jordan is Palest 23/07/08   6.   OBAMA just got a firsthand demonstration of Religion of Peace 03:21  |  PETER SM 23/07/08   7.   Obama in Jerusalem. 03:23  |  sandra chitayat 23/07/08   8.   lakshmi # 1 Only Jimmy Carter Talks To Hamas 03:32  |  Jeff Northridge 23/07/08   9.   lakshmi: You say - We do! Where is your "dutch"? 03:38  |  People of the World 23/07/08   10.   The Palestinians get 1 hour of his time--maybe. 03:43  |  Labhras 23/07/08   11.   Lakshmi is so naive about Obama 03:55  |  Sam C 23/07/08   12.   The 36-Hour Visit 04:18  |  Jeff Northridge 23/07/08   13.   Did you ask him about the fake birth certificate? 04:39  |  John 23/07/08   14.   visit 04:40  |  sam 23/07/08   15.   No Excuses 06:11  |  BAG 23/07/08   16.   What about Jordan 06:42  |  Great White North 23/07/08   17.   Obama foolish but not senile, so he won`t meet Hamas 07:31  |  Voice of Reason 23/07/08   18.   Obama is a mensch... 08:25  |  Dave 23/07/08   19.   Wow, only 45mins for a festive breakfast.in the Holy Land... 09:07  |  Esther 23/07/08   20.   TThe truth of the matter ..... 09:31  |  Dutch 23/07/08   21.   No excuses until you flip or flop Obama? 09:40  |  x-ray 23/07/08   22.   The man is all talk, we are not buying it. 09:52  |  Jew 23/07/08   23.   PLEASE, STAY FOCUS, MY BROTHER 10:26  |  indrajaya 23/07/08   24.   INDRAJAYA .Is Obama your "brother" How so? 11:51  |  PETER SM 23/07/08   25.   # 24, PETER SM 12:43  |  indrajaya 23/07/08   26.   Dutch # 20 The Excuses 15:34  |  Jeff Northridge 23/07/08   27.   lakshmi and indrajaya 15:59  |  Victoria 23/07/08   28.   Labhras # 10 You Got It! 16:16  |  Jeff Northridge 23/07/08   29.   #26 The latest bulldozer incident 17:14  |  Outsider 23/07/08   30.   Outsider # 29 His father arrested for being arab? 18:00  |  American in NY 23/07/08   31.   What is Obamas position on Bulldozers driven by the IDF 18:01  |  American in NY 23/07/08   32.   If o keeps this up he might get my vote. 18:08  |  Steve -nyc 23/07/08   33.   he knows arabs kill and enslave subsaharans. 20:38  |  frenz 23/07/08   34.   #6, PETER SM AGAIN AND AGAIN 02:39  |  VIPER 24/07/08

Read & React Obama to PM: Iran action legitimate only if talks fail Responses: 187 Shin Bet head Diskin: Truce with Hamas unlikely to hold Responses: 94 Iran convoy attacked reportedly while taking arms to Hezbollah Responses: 138 Report: PA mulling unilateral declaration of statehood Responses: 147 Report: Ex-Mossad chief says strike on Iran could 'affect us for 100 years' Responses: 155 More Headlines 17:55 Hamas rounds up Fatah men as Gaza blast kills 6 14:33 Report: Ahmadinejad says Iran now has 6,000 centrifuges 19:25 Five drown, including 12-year-old boy, in waters off Israel's coast 07:27 Report: Ex-Mossad chief says strike on Iran could 'affect us for 100 years' 12:21 Lebanese factions clash in north for second day, as death toll rises to eight 19:23 Did outcome of early Hitler trial alter the course of history? 15:39 Barak: Law enforcement system must be protected from Olmert's assaults 15:24 Israeli tourist killed in car accident in India while traveling with her family 05:24 Report: PA mulling unilateral declaration of statehood 10:56 IDF commander: We must deal with settler 'provocateurs' 06:07 Iran convoy attacked reportedly while taking arms to Hezbollah 15:46 Woman who filmed racing chief Mosley orgy apologizes for trouble it caused Previous Editions Select Day 25 jul 24 jul 23 jul 22 jul 21 jul 20 jul 18 jul 17 jul 16 jul 15 jul 14 jul 13 jul

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