The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave US President Donald Trump an effusive greeting on his arrival in Israel on the first-ever direct flight from Riyadh to Tel Aviv.

Speaking from a podium erected on the tarmac of Ben Gurion airport, Mr Netanyahu said: “Never before has the first foreign trip of the president of the United States included a visit to Israel,” he says. “Thank you, Mr President. Thank you for this powerful expression of your friendship to Israel.

“Mr President, yesterday in Saudi Arabia you delivered a forceful speech on terrorism and extremism, called on forces of civilization to confront the forces of barbarism. For 69 years, Israel has been doing just that. We’ve manned the front-lines of civilization.

“Mr President, you just flew from Riyadh to Tel Aviv,” he says. “I hope that one day an Israeli prime minister can fly from Tel Aviv to Riyadh.”

Mr Netanyahu added: “I’m confident that under your leadership the remarkable alliance between Israel and the United States will become ever greater, ever stronger."

Mr Trump then took to the podium and praised the “unbreakable bond” between Israel and the US.

He said: “On my first trip overseas as president, I have come to this sacred and ancient land to reaffirm the unbreakable bond between the United States and the State of Israel.

“During my travels in recent days, I have found new reasons for hope.

“I have just concluded a visit to Saudi Arabia, where yesterday I met with King Salman and leaders from across the Muslim and Arab world. In that visit we reached a historic agreement to pursue greater and greater [cooperation] against terrorism.

“We have before us a rare opportunity to bring security and stability and peace to this region and to its people, defeating terrorism and creating a future of harmony prosperity and peace.

“But we can only get there working together."