President Obama was forced to travel by car in Israel today after his helicopter was grounded due to a sandstorm.
It started off as a clear, warm morning on the day that the president was scheduled to tour Mt. Hertzl and visit Yad Vashem, Israel's museum to the Holocaust. However, wicked winds arrived earlier than expected, making it unsafe for Obama to travel by air to the Palestinian-controlled Bethlehem. Instead, he commuted with a motorcade of 30 cars through Jerusalem's hilly roads. At times, the motorcade was barely moving, says reports.
When Obama got to Bethlehem, security had cleared visitors after Manger Square. He went on a tour of the Church of the Nativity which is built above the cave where Jesus is believed to have been born.
During the POTUS' three day trip to Israel, he also experienced trouble when Obama's steel-plated limo, named "the Beast." had a breakdown and the Secret Service had to bring in a replacement.
In remarks delivered by the president on Thursday at the Jerusalem Convention Center, he spoke about the Israel being the United States's closest ally: "Those ties began only 11 minutes after Israeli independence, when the United States was the first nation to recognize the State of Israel."
"I am proud that the security relationship between the United States and Israel has never been stronger: more exercises between our militaries, and more exchanges among our political, military and intelligence officials than ever before; the largest program to date to help you retain your qualitative military edge."