Obama reaffirms US ties with Israel

US President Barack Obama has today reaffirmed US ties with Israel, upstaging Mitt Romney one day before the Republican challenger visits Jerusalem.

The White House said Mr Obama will sign legislation today that expands military and civilian co-operation with Israel.

The Bill was passed by voice vote in the House last week.

The Bill reiterates US support for a negotiated two-state solution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Mr Romney is a critic of Mr Obama’s policy toward Israel. He will arrive in Jerusalem tomorrow as part of an overseas trip that also includes Britain and Poland.

He caused a stir yesterday by calling the UK’s problems with Olympics preparation “disconcerting”. White House spokesman Jay Carney said Mr Obama “has the utmost confidence” in Britain’s ability to host the Games.

Mr Obama plans to continue competing with Mr Romney for attention during the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games, which Mr Romney was scheduled to attend while in London.

The Obama campaign is airing an ad for American audiences during the opening ceremonies featuring the president promoting his middle-class political pitch.

“I believe that the way you grow the economy is from the middle out,” Mr Obama says in the ad, echoing a standard campaign refrain.

“I believe in fighting for the middle class because if they are prospering, all of us will prosper.”

With the ad, Mr Obama guarantees himself a presence during opening ceremonies despite the free media Mr Romney might get by being there in person.

A senior Washington official later said that President Obama is authorising an additional $70m (€57.3m) in military assistance to Israel.

The official said the funds will go to help Israel expand production of a short-range rocket defence system, called Iron Dome.