President Barak Obama arrived in Ben-Gurion International Airport early Wednesday afternoon 9 Nissan 5773 on schedule. Israel now focuses on the 48-hour visit of the leader of the free world, the head of the USA, Israel’s staunchest ally.

As with any high-level diplomatic event there is criticism, and this visit is no exception. Many question the enormous sums being spent on the visit at a time when the international community addresses the ongoing fiscal crisis. In Israel, with every fifth child categorized as “poor”, and with Pesach days away many question the wisdom of the extravagance at a time when tzedaka funds are working tenaciously to raise the funds to bring basic Yomtov supplies to tens of thousands of homes.

Some of the stats released pertaining to the trip includes;

· 15,000 police will take part in security during the presidential visit

· The US presidential entourage, which includes security, media, and diplomatic staff numbers 600

· 1,000 Israel, US and Jerusalem flags adorn the road from Ben-Gurion Airport and the capital.

· 35 members of Israel Police mounted units will be on patrol in the capital during the presidential visit

· All of the 233 King David Hotel rooms are booked by the US for the presidential visit.

· 88 members of the military and Knesset Guard were among those greeting the US president at the airport

· 2,000 meals are stored onboard Air Force 1 as it touched down in Tel Aviv

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)