This is his second trip to the Middle East since 2009 and his first official visit to Israel as president.

 

　　He will also visit the Palestinian Authorities and Jordan.

 

　　About 5,000 police and security officers will be deployed in Jerusalem throughout the visit.

 

　　US officials though are saying the trip is more 'symbolic' than anything else – and that there aren't any new plans to bring Israel and the Palestinians back to the negotiating table.

 

　　International relations expert, Professor Yu Wanli from Peking University, says he doesn't expect much else from the trip either, because the Israeli-Palestinian issue is a risky one for Obama to begin with.

 

　　"The Israeli-Palestinian issue tops the US Mideast policy. Due to the strong US-Israeli ties, it's hard for Obama to resolve the conflict no matter how hard he tries to curry favor with the Arabic population. Personally I think it's a risky trip. I don't see if he has any master plan to solve the Israeli-Palestinian issue."

 

　　Some local residents in Jerusalem though are a bit more optimistic about a 3rd party getting involved here.

 

　　"Between two different ideas, between two different populations, maybe a third person can say something that helps"

 

　　"I think that this is a very important visit because our enemies will know that we are not alone."