Barack Obama has vowed to bring an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict if he is elected President of the United States.

The senator said today that  he would work to bring to bring peace into the troubled region 'from the minute he is sworn into office.'

Obama, who has flown into Israel,  faces a packed schedule of meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

After arriving in Jerusalem a day earlier, Obama said he hoped his administration would strengthen the historic special relationship between the United States and Israel.

He also vowed that Israel as a valued ally with the United States.

'That policy is not going to change,' he said.

But he added: 'What I think can change is the ability of the United States government and a United States president to be actively engaged with the peace process and to be concerned and recognise the legitimate difficulties that the Palestinian people are experiencing right now.'