DW-World.de
Deutsche Welle

US presidential candidate Barack Obama has arrived in Israel on the latest leg of his fact-finding tour of the Middle East and Europe. Obama flew in from neighbouring Jordan, where he reiterated his pledge to withdraw US combat troops from Iraq as soon as possible if he wins the election. The Illinois senator said they was no doubt that the security in Iraq had improved, and that what was now needed was a political solution to achieve national reconciliation. Jordan's king Abdullah II told Obama that an evenhanded US policy would bolster America's credibility in the Middle East. Obama is due to meet Israeli and Palestinian leaders on Wednesday.