Obama vows new focus on Middle East if elected

Barak Obama has promised to inject new momentum into the Middle East peace process if he is elected US President. The Democratic candidate was speaking during a trip to Israel as part of an overseas tour aimed at boosting his foreign policy credentials ahead of November’s election.

Before a visit to the Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem he pledged staunch support for Israel. On the itinerary was a series of meetings with the country’s political leaders.

Obama is struggling to overcome wariness among some Israelis, and Jewish voters in the US, about the strength of his commitment to Israel.

But he has also dismayed Palestinians with remarks last month that Jerusalem should be Israel’s “undivided” capital. He later said he used “poor phrasing”.

Obama condemned yesterday’s attack in which a Palestinian drove a mechanical digger into traffic in Jerusalem. Several people were injured and the driver was shot dead. It was the second such incident in a month.