Obama's Israel Trip Said to Include a Look at the Iron Dome

AP
Connor Simpson Feb 12, 2013

Some details have leaked about the President's big spring trip to Israel, including a planned dinner with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a stop so the President can check out Israel's rocket intercepting Iron Dome. Ynet News' Itamar Eichner reports that Obama would land in Israel on March 20, followed by two days of ceremonies and speeches, plus a meeting with Mahmoud Abbas in there. Politico reports that the White House has yet to sign off on Israel's proposed schedule, but if it holds, the President will accompany Netanyahu to look at a battery for Israel's big-time defense system on the last day of his trip.

The Iron Dome made headlines at two different points in 2012 — both during conflicts between Israel and Palestine. As CNN reported last April, the system "targets incoming rockets it identifies as possible threats to city centers and fires an interceptor missile to destroy them in mid-air." After November's conflict with Gaza, the Wall Street Journal reported the system "knocked down 421 rockets launched from Gaza and bound for Israeli cities, an 84% success rate." This video from November caught the Iron Dome's interceptor's in action: 

Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at connorbsimpson at gmail dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.

Related Articles   More by Connor Simpson

Why Is the Government Now Investigating a Leak It Probably Knew About?

Call Me, Bibi: Obama Gets on the Phone with Netanyahu

Chuck Hagel: A Highly Controversial Nominee Almost Certain to Be Confirmed

 

Is Julian Assange Pretending to Help Snowden for Publicity?

Kim Dotcom's Great Data Massacre

Elsewhere on the Web

User Comments

Please type your comment and click Post. If you’re not already logged in you will be prompted to log in or register

  • The Atlantic Wire on Twitter
  • The Atlantic Wire RSS Feed
  • The Atlantic Wire iPhone App