The story

Barack Obama has strongly backed Israel in his first foreign policy speech since becoming the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, just two days after he was accused of naivete by Republican challenger John McCain.

Speaking to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, an influential pro-Israel lobbying group, Obama said, "Any agreement with the Palestinian people must preserve Israel's identity as a Jewish state, with secure, recognized and defensible borders. Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel, and it must remain undivided."

The Palestinians also want Jerusalem to be the capital of their own country. United States policy has long been intentionally vague on the status of Jerusalem. The U.S. Embassy in Israel is in Tel Aviv, not Jerusalem.

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain, speaking at the same gathering Monday, attacked Obama's Middle East policy. In particular, he criticized Obama's stated willingness to meet with the leaders of countries like Iran, as well as voting against a measure to label Iran's Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization.

In his speech, Obama called Iran the greatest threat in the Middle East but reiterated his willingness to meet with the Islamic state's leaders under appropriate conditions. Read full article »

CNN's Kristi Keck contributed to this report.

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