Developing: Bridge Collapses Near Seattle…Unknown Injuries…See the Photos
Watch Today’s BlazeCast With Your Questions, Comments & Live Chat!
Why Did Obama Reschedule an In-Depth Tour of Israel’s Iron Dome to Instead Visit a Palestinian-Controlled Area?
HAIFA, ISRAEL – JANUARY 31: An ‘Iron Dome’ short-range missile defense system is positioned near the northern city of Haifa on January 31, 2013 in Israel. Credit: Getty Images
It turns out that President Obama has revised the itinerary for his upcoming trip to Israel, skipping a previously planned tour of an Iron Dome installation for an extra stop in the Palestinian Authority-controlled town of Bethlehem.
A White House schedule released on Friday listed the Iron Dome installation visit as a part of the president’s roster. There, according to Israel National News, he would have received an in-depth explanation of the highly-advanced technology that has been used to deflect literally thousands of rockets lobbed at Israel by Palestinian militants as well as learn how Iron Dome was successfully employed during last November’s Operation Pillar of Defense.
But a new schedule released Monday reveals that the time-slot originally allocated to visiting the Iron Dome installation has instead been replaced by a visit to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. While some might argue that Obama’s desire to visit the birthplace of Jesus underscores his desire to pay an homage to Christendom, others might find the choice of venue questionable given that the Church of the Nativity recently became the first World Heritage site in the Palestinian territories.
The nomination marked the Palestinians’ first bid for inclusion on a list of sites that hold “outstanding universal value,” perhaps in a hope to lend its own statehood bids greater legitimacy.
It can also be argued that Obama could have just as easily visited any of Christianity’s holiest sites in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City, most notably the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is venerated as the site where Jesus was crucified, entombed and resurrected.
Palestinian riot police arrive in Manger Square outside the Church of the Nativity in the Biblical West Bank city of Bethlehem, in order to overlook the annual cleaning of the church on January 2, 2013. The sovereignty of the Church of the Nativity, traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, is shared by the Christian denominations, who also share the annual cleaning responsibilities. Credit: AFP/Getty Images
INN reports that a source in the Prime Minister’s Office said Obama will be shown an Iron Dome installation after he lands at Ben Gurion Airport on Wednesday instead. The source did not state whether the installation is the same one as previously planned nor did the source confirm if the tour would be as detailed as originally planned.
Obama is slated to arrive in Israel Wednesday, March 20, at roughly noontime. Following a welcoming ceremony and alleged revised tour of the installation, he is scheduled to meet with Israeli President Shimon Peres and then Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at 5:30 p.m.
On Thursday late-morning, Obama is scheduled to depart for Ramallah, where he will meet with Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas and his PA officials.
After touring various landmarks significant to the State of Israel on Friday – including Yad Vashem and the tombs of Theodor Herzl, the father of Zionism, and Yitzchak Rabin — Obama will then sojourn to Bethlehem before returning to Ben Gurion Airport for a departing ceremony.
The Iron Dome has been an invaluable defense system for Israel since its inception. With a capability of intercepting and destroying short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from distances of up to 70 kilometers, in 2012 alone Iron Dome intercepted a staggering 90 percent of rockets fired into Israeli civilian aras from Gaza. The hope is to extend the system’s range-capability to 250 km, making it even more effective.
If it were not for the Iron Dome, untold numbers of Israelis may very well not be alive today. Given its gravitas, one would think spending ample time learning about the sophisticated system that has kept America’s greatest ally in the Middle East safe would be well-worth the president’s time.
Why Obama chose to alter his plans to pay a more in-depth visit to the Iron Dome field unit and instead visit a site that is indeed sacred to Christians, but located within the Palestinian territories and not one within the Christian Quarter, may leave some with questions.
In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.
Popular Stories
Shock Video Surfaces: Meat Cleaver-Wielding Man Shouts ‘You People Will Never Be Safe!’ Moments After Gruesome London Attack 508 Comments
Confusion Erupts in IRS Hearing After Lois Lerner Tries to Plead the 5th — Watch It All Unfold 470 Comments
Pope Francis’ Sermon Sparks Debate: ‘Even the Atheists’ Have Been Redeemed ‘With the Blood of Christ’ 422 Comments
The Tense Exchange Between Rep. Trey Gowdy and the Former IRS Head You’ve Been Waiting for…and It Doesn’t Disappoint 391 Comments
John McCain Lectures Tea Party Senator on How ‘Business’ Gets Done in Congress: ‘That’s What We’ve Been Doing for a Couple Hundred Years’ 373 Comments
Faith
-
‘I Swear I Will Kill You…F**k You’: Conservative Comedian Gets Death Threats Following Anti-Muhammad Video
110 Comments
- ‘We…Aren’t Going to Take S**t From Homophobes’: Mysterious Pro-Firearm Ads Use Gays, Seemingly Topless Lesbians to Rail Against Gun Control 207 Comments
- Pope Francis’ Sermon Sparks Debate: ‘Even the Atheists’ Have Been Redeemed ‘With the Blood of Christ’ 422 Comments
-
Beck Issues Challenge to People of Faith in Wake of Okla. Tornado: ‘What Have You Done?’
Read More
-
‘Islamic Jihad, Islamic Jihad!: Michelle Malkin Rips Progressives, Clashes With Lib Radio Host Over Islamic Terrorism and the London Machete Attack
142 Comments
Business
-
Venezuelan President Blames Toilet Paper Shortage on the Rich
Read More
-
This Terrible Chart Shows the Change in Food Stamp Participation Over the Last 10 Years
Read More
- Disney Makes Absolutely Mortifying Photoshop Mistake Read More
-
Trey Gowdy at It Again — This Time with a Jack Bauer Reference!
105 Comments
-
Emails Released: Congress Was Asking for Updates on IG’s IRS Audit Before 2012 Election
Read More
Technology
-
The Incredible Role Facebook Played in the Aftermath of Devastating Okla. Tornado
Read More
-
Tech Company Demonstrates Remote Disabling of a ‘Smart Gun’
129 Comments
-
Meet the Blind Man Nicknamed ‘Midnight Gunslinger’ Who Has 80% Shot Accuracy
Read More
-
How a $4.5 Million Network of 181 Sirens Helped Save Lives in Oklahoma Twister
Read More
-
See the Record-Setting Python a Man Caught With His Bare Hands (and Guess How Much It Weighed)
Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Comments (76)
Excomunicatedmarine
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:43pmHe is running for UN election.
Report this comment
kaydeebeau
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 5:01pmI bet BiBi rescinded his pass to visit the Iron Dome defense shield – since the O admin can’t seem to keep secrets – would you really trust him with any info he might have gotten about the defenses?
I know I wouldn’t – scares me to death that he has acces to our classified info – especially when there are so many Muslim Bros in our gov’t and O is soooo cozy with them
Report this comment
Obama_In_PeePee_By_Zee_Arteeest_Beck
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 5:26pm“Why Did Obama Reschedule an In-Depth Tour of Israel’s Iron Dome to Instead Visit a Palestinian-Controlled Area?”
Because muslims hate Israel? I don’t know … just a wild guess:
http://fellowshipofminds.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/muslim-obama.jpg
http://usa2008.blox.pl/resource/Clinton_Obama_Richardson_rally.jpg
[and there's so much more -- search "obama muslim" and find pictures galore]
Report this comment
redfish52
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 6:42pmSo what’s the deal “The Blaze”..I can’t pray for the POTUS to be in the gun sight’s of Hamas Missile’s without you taking my comment off?
Report this comment
redfish52
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 6:44pmI have noticed the Blazes censors have been leaning more and more to the left….
Report this comment
chips1
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 7:11pmHave you noticed the Comunist reply button?
Report this comment
The_Jerk
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 8:46pmShouldn’t even be wasting any time or money on Israel. It’s a two-bit, nothing nation. What’s next? A visit to Luxemburg?
Report this comment
banjarmon
Posted on March 12, 2013 at 12:28amI would like to see bho visit osama in the Indian Ocean and arrive at the bottom the same way osama did!!!
Report this comment
TROONORTH
Posted on March 12, 2013 at 10:50amThe visit was cancelled when ‘the big O’ found out that the Iron Dome was used to shoot down incoming offensive objects. He felt endangered.
Report this comment
shorelineliz
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:42pmBethlehem? He thinks he is safe in Bethlehem? That town is Muslim controlled. They ain’t happy with Obama at all. What an idiot going to the Middle East now. He sure as hell ain’t safe in Israel. Half Arab/Muslim. They HATE Obama over there.
Report this comment
pavepaws
Posted on March 12, 2013 at 2:11pmShhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Report this comment
bankerpapaw
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:41pmWhy? To appease his mooselum brothers.
Report this comment
mrunner
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:38pmHis advisors are to blame. They have him very confused. They asked him if he wanted to visit the birthplace of the Messiah. He can’t figure it out now- Hawaii? Kenya? now Bethlehem?? He figures he is visiting his birthplace…
Report this comment
mrunner
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:53pm@ Redfish Well that would leave crazy Uncle Joe in charge, but I guess we are better off with crazy than we are with the current evil…
Report this comment
redfish52
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 6:46pm@MRUNNER….the Blaze censored my comment. So I suppose I can’t pray for something bad to happen to the POTUS now….i didn’t curse I just expressed my 1st Amendment Right….I thought.
Report this comment
HuskerDave
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:23pmI’m not reading too much into this.
There are a thousand reasons to find fault with this man that are far more relevant and infamous than this minor gaffe. President Obama is a statist, bordering on dictator, with Marxist ideology and a dubious background (to put it mildly). He scoffs at the Constitution while claiming to have been a Constitutional scholar. He wastes taxpayer money while blaming Republicans for trying to hold the line on spending.
Report this comment
RockyMountainPATRIOT
Posted on March 12, 2013 at 1:10amNO GAFFES being made by these people. Their actions are intentional.
Report this comment
Eastinfection
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:18pmI’d rather he visited Mad Max in the Thunder-Dome.
Report this comment
lel2007
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:18pmWhy is obama to visit the PLO ? I’m sure he believes, in the spirit of “fairness”, it’s important the PLO have the same “Iron Dome” equipment the Israelis have.
Wouldn’t be a shame if obama were to fall victim to a Benghazi type incident? Imagine uncle Joe in charge.
Report this comment
Excomunicatedmarine
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:38pmMaybe we’ll get lucky .
Report this comment
cloudsofwar
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:12pmobama fells safer with the Pals. so he’s going to the birth place of our Lord Jesus Christ. hope his feet don’t burn when he walks in. obama gives me the creeps. will obama’s angels (drones) be flying overhead?
Report this comment
revelation2012
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:11pmhis bed is so MADE ,,,,
Report this comment
cdn1979
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:10pmvisit iron dome? america paid for and built it. why bother going to see it. its a revision of the patriot system. america gives israel everything and you all feel they are still owed something. you’re a bunch of traitors if you ask me.
HOOT_OWL
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:25pmMaybe he want to see if they will knock the f-16’s out of the sky he sold to Egypt.
Go back in your basement and keep hitting your bong and polishing you RP buttons.
Report this comment
songbird7
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 5:25pmamerica did paid part of the ” iron dome ” progrem , but it didnt paid for it all
and surely didnt build it or developed it !
israel took also part of the budget progrem , and developed it by itself ! all alone ! ( whether you like or not )
it got nothing to do with the ” patriot ” ! its a lot better
after the surprising success of the ” iron dome ” in the last operation ” amud anan ” , high ranked US officials , wanted all the knoledge of that system and the development’s sketches
and of course they got it all freely and right away
like other things that american and the western society was given from the israeli/jewish brain , and you dont even have a clue how much !
so befor you spill over , your ignorence washed up NWO/MUSLIMONA**I brain , read and learn about the subject
Report this comment
tzion
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 7:44pmCDN you are clearly ignorant. Israel built Iron Dome with US funding without any assistance. Neither America nor anyone else helped to actually built the system itself.
Besides, Patriot is used for intercepting long-range ballistic missiles, which are bigger, spend far more time in the air, and fly at higher altitudes, making them easier to detect and much easier to intercept. The rockets Israel has to contend with a minuscule by comparison and are extremely short-ranged. It isn’t unheard of for a rocket to land in a populated area having never even been detected. US companies aren’t heavily invested in a system for short range rockets primarily because there’s next to no demand.
Report this comment
whatthecrazy
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:09pmBecause he is a traitor,next question.
Report this comment
pap pap
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:08pmThis is better because if he learned anything about theIron Dome he would have told the Palestinians all about it. He’s not the POTUS he is just a POS.
Report this comment
progressiveslayer
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:06pmBecause he wants to be with his people,that’s why the scheduling change was made.
Report this comment
PATTY HENRY
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:15pmPS I will believe that OBAMA is serious about SOLVING the FINANCIAL disaster that he was largely responsible for (and we haven’t even seen the tsunami called Obamacare yet)
WHEN
NANCY
PIGLOSI
SHUTS
UP and
APOLOGIZES
TO
THE
REPUBLICANS
FOR
THE
INSANE, SNARKY COMMENTS she makes every day about what that Bturd is doing !!
YOU control that she-witch, Obama, and I’ll believe you.
Report this comment
Sharon Rose
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:02pmPhoto-op.
Report this comment
webbie
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:02pmThis man makes me want to barf. I think I will not say his name anymore too!
Report this comment
ArmedAndReallyPissed
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:29pmI like how Glen and the Guys refer to this POS……………”That Guy”………….Everyone ( non-Communists ) should follow thier lead for all time. And also “that Guys Wife”.
Report this comment
13th Imam
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 3:59pmHere’s to a Sand Rat rocket hitting that fly on Barry’s forehead.
This one’s for you BarryMeth
Report this comment
eat-more-bacon-USA
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 3:59pmAs a sworn enemy of the United States and Israel, obama never passes up a chance to pal around with muslim terrorists.
Report this comment
biohazard23
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 3:59pmWill he burst into flames when he gets there?
Report this comment
Eastinfection
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:26pmMaybe when he joins the mob to burn an effigy of George Bush.
Report this comment
circleDwagons
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 3:58pmSo will he be visiting the Dome? Will be praying for a safe and productive trip.
Report this comment
Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 3:54pmFigure it out people. It doesn’t take a genius. You Jews out there are getting the same message as Islamic radicals. Shitt in one hand and wish in the other, see which one fills up first. Same thing going on here.
Report this comment
ArmedAndReallyPissed
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 3:54pmWhy Did Obama Reschedule an In-Depth Tour of Israel’s Iron Dome to Instead Visit a Palestinian-Controlled Area?……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
If it walks like a Terrorist Lover and talks like a Terrorist Lover and acts like a Terrorist Lover…………..
Report this comment
whatthecrazy
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:12pmThen it’s a Democrat?
Report this comment
ArmedAndReallyPissed
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:29pmYou got it.
Report this comment
SREGN
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 3:48pmIf I see the Obamanation of Desolation standing in the Temple I’m heading for the hills.
Report this comment
PATTY HENRY
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:02pmNOW HEAR THIS: THE ONLY reason that jackass in the WH is even talking to someone with an R behind their name is to keep us off guard. He doesn’t give a damn about us, about our Country. He is simply put: A Muslim Trojan Horse. I’ve said this for over 5 years. You know it, I know it.
I could type ten thousand more words but I don’t need to. YOU already know this.
You also know that Obama has no intention of issuing a feasible budget and/or cutting spending. He’s just doing the dog and pony show with goofy GOP RInos (most of them) like McCain and that equally pathetic toad: Lindsay Graham who just LOVE carrying Obama’s water!…Obama is trying to smoke screen this NATION-WIDE gun grab… They’ve bought up most of the ammo; now they are trying in every way to get the guns. then ? THEN there is nothing stopping those POS SOBS from trying to establish that Anti-Christ sicko freak as a Dictator. NOW, you paid mindless trolls..prove me wrong with facts. PROVE to me that 1) Obama is not a Muslim 2) he supports our best ally Israel 3) He supports our Constitution…come on. I dare you. I know you can’t…but do…by all means…give it a shot. (ha ha) shot …got the pun? IF you haven’t joined the NSA (or rejoined) then DO IT!!
Report this comment
happ77
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:11pmDid you mean NRA ?
Report this comment
PATTY HENRY
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:17pmBY all means NRA :)
Report this comment
cloudsofwar
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:40pm@ patty… you are right. after he takes our guns he will send in his drones to watch us. pray the LORD is watching over us. anything can and will happen.
Report this comment
gyro
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 3:47pmNo hot dogs at the Iron Dome ?
So how many american dallars to protect the president at a secure military site?
How much to pretect him at The first World Heritage site in the Palestinian territories. ?
Lets get at it people he should golf in the west bank !
Report this comment
txgrrl
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 3:56pmOnly Hebrew National dogs.
Report this comment
zoro51
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 3:45pmbecause obama IS NOT AMERICAN BORN but MUSLUM BORN that and hes a socialist.. a LIAR and a TRAITOR to the usa this IS why he has done this…this IMPOSTER IS NOT A PRESIDENT.., but a psudeo dictator wanna bea EJECT IMPEACH REMOVE OBAMA NOW
Report this comment
oldguy49
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 3:48pmif his lips are moving……………
Report this comment
gyro
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 3:48pmWow Zoro back to area 51 with you for reprograming !
Report this comment
paulwbrown
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 3:43pmTo answer the caption, because Obama is anti- Israel and pro- Palestinian.
Report this comment
Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 3:57pmCampaign donations, to see his constituants?
He heard they make really good vests and went to get fitted for one.
Report this comment
shadowsting
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 3:58pmDon’t forget he’s Anti-American, and I have never said that about any other President, but his actions lead me to believe that he is Anti-American.
Report this comment