international affairs

Gaza Rockets Hit Israel During Obama’s Visit

JERUSALEM , ISRAEL- MARCH 20: (ISRAEL OUT) U.S. President Barack Obama (L) greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a press conference on March 20, 2013 in Jerusalem, Israel. This is Obama's first visit as President to the region, and his itinerary will include meetings with the Palestinian and Israeli leaders as well as a visit to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. (Photo by Lior Mizrahi/Getty Images)
Photo: Lior Mizrahi/2013 Getty Images

Early on Thursday morning, Palestinian militants in Gaza fired two rockets into southern Israel. The Associated Press reports that one rocket exploded in the courtyard of a house in Sderot and another landed in an open field; there were no injuries. President Obama was about 60 miles away in Jerusalem, but it isn’t a promising start to the second day of his trip to Israel. Obama is scheduled to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas later today, and a senior Israeli government official said, “We will be closely watching Palestinian President Abbas today to see if he condemns these attacks from Gaza against Israeli civilians.”

Gaza Rockets Hit Israel During Obama’s Visit