Obama in Israel on first trip as US president

President Barack Obama. AP FILE PHOTO

TEL AVIV—Barack Obama landed in Israel for the first time as US president on Wednesday, on a mission to ease past tensions with his hosts and hoping to paper over differences on handling Iran’s nuclear threat.

Obama touched down aboard Air Force One at Tel Aviv airport, and was due to be met by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Shimon Peres and US ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro, US officials said.