1. What are Palestinian protesters calling on President Obama to do during his visit to Israel?

2. Why are Palestinians protesting against President Obama during his visit to Israel and the West Bank? What is the cause of the Palestinians' anger against President Obama? What do they blame him for? Be specific.

3. How are Palestinians reacting to President Obama's visit?

4. What threat has the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas made against President Obama?

5. At various times, Palestinians shoot rockets into Israel (into civilian residential neighborhoods). Israel has said there will be no peace negotiations unless they once and for all end their attacks against Israelis. Palestinians say they will not stop until they have their own state. Do you think the media does a good job reporting accurately on this ongoing issue? Explain your answer.

6. In paragraph 9, the LA Times reporters state: "The U.S. also withheld nearly $250 million promised to the Palestinian Authority last year, though Obama is expected to announce the release of some of that money during his visit."
a) The way it is stated, it appears that the U.S. government didn't treat the Palestinians with integrity. As an American newspaper, what information should the reporters have provided for readers?
b) Why do you think this story is reported from a Palestinian point of view without any countering U.S. point of view?

7. Since first elected, President Obama has not been seen as particularly friendly toward longtime U.S. ally Israel. One of his first trips as President was to Egypt in June 2009. During this trip, he issued an important speech to the Muslim world at Cairo University entitled "A New Beginning". Obama also held talks with President Hosni Mubarak on regional issues and visited the Sultan Hassan Mosque as well.
During the UN General Assembly in September 2012, President Obama refused to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while he was visiting the U.S. He said he was too busy.
Bloomberg columnist Jeffrey Goldberg reported in January 2013 that in December President Obama began saying that “Israel doesn’t know what its own best interests are” and called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “a political coward.”
On Tuesday, upon arriving in Israel, President Obama said "I see this visit as 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." and added "I am confident in declaring that our alliance is eternal, is forever."
a) Why do you think President Obama is now taking a different approach in regard to Israel?
b) Ask a parent the same question.