Official logo of the state visit, developed in Israel.

>> UPDATED NOTE: I’ll be in Austin on Friday for meetings, but I won’t be speaking at an event. However, I will be speaking at Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas on Palm Sunday morning (March 24th). Then I’ll be discussing Bible prophecy, Mideast trends, and my new book, Damascus Countdown, during their Sunday evening service. Please join us if you can. Also, on Wednesday evening, March 27th, I’ll be speaking in Tucson. On Wednesday evening, April 3rd, I’ll be speaking on Sanibel Island, Florida. On April 6-7, I’ll be speaking in Naples. Would love to have you join us and love to say hi to you and sign your books. I’ll be posting other speaking events soon. In the meantime, please consider coming on The Joshua Fund’s “Prayer & Vision Tour” of Israel and the 2013 Epicenter Conference.  The tour will go from June 25 to July 7. The Epicenter Conference will take place on Friday, July 5th. We would be deeply honored to have you join us.

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Israelis are busy finalizing preparations to welcome Air Force One on Wednesday. President Obama will arrive with an entourage of some 500 Secret Service agents and others White House and State Department staff and advisors for a state visit that will last through Friday, when they head to Amman, Jordan.

Here’s some of the latest coverage of the preparations:

• NEW: Poll: Most Israeli Jews don’t trust Obama to safeguard country’s interests — Ahead of visit, 62% of Israelis say US president is incapable of bringing about a breakthrough in peace talks (Times of Israel)
• NEW: President Obama in Israel: Symbolism over substance (Politico) — Excerpt: :”Obama’s visit is aimed in part at reassuring the Israeli public that there is no  need for imminent action against Iran by Israel because the U.S. will take  action eventually if sanctions and diplomatic pressure don’t persuade Tehran to  abandon its nuclear program.”
• Where Obama’s visiting in Israel, where he isn’t, and why — Why is the president spending hours at the Israel Museum but not going near the Western Wall? What’s he doing in Bethlehem? A primer on a tour through a diplomatic minefield (Times of Israel)
• Obama’s Israel Itinerary Includes Some Standard Stops, but Not Others (New York Times)
• Ambassador Michael Oren: Trip signals Obama’s ties with Israel (CNN)
• 15,000 police officers to protect Obama during visit to Israel (Haaretz) — Excerpt: “The presidential motorcade will consist of 60 vehicles, including those of Secret Service agents, security personnel and American officials, as well as fire-fighting trucks, Magen David Adom ambulances and vehicles of the Israel Police’s Yamam counter-terrorist unit.”
• A missile show-and-tell, dinner with Shimon Peres and a quick tour of Bethlehem: the itinerary of Barack Obama’s Middle East visit takes shape (UK Independent)
• Obama’s visit to Israel gets name and logo (Los Angeles Times)
• Preview of President Obama’s trip to Israel. What will be the key issues raised? Fox News interviews “Damascus Countdown” author.