President Barack Obama landed in Israel on Wednesday noting that it was "tov l'he'ot shuv b'aretz," (good to be in Israel again). On the first of his three day trip, Obama spoke of the Jewish people's 3,000 year-old connection to the land, stating that the founding of the State of Israel was a tale of redemption "unlike any other in history." He added that his visit was "an opportunity to reaffirm the unbreakable bond between our nations, to restate America's unwavering commitment to Israel's security and to speak directly to the people of Israel and to your neighbors."

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu welcomed Obama upon his landing, thanking him and the American people for "standing by Israel." He thanked Obama and the United States for "affirming Israel's right to defend itself against any threat," for the "generous military assistance," and for the "unprecedented security cooperation."

President Shimon Peres also addressed Obama in a welcome speech on the tarmac of Ben-Gurion Airport, saying his visit to Israel was “a crown demonstration of the profound relationship between our two nations.”