The President of the United States Arrives in Israel for a Two-Day Visit

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, arrived in Israel on Monday, June 1, for a two-day visit. Mr. Trump entered Israel following a visit to Saudi Arabia and discussions with King Salman. The U.S. President's plane flew directly from Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, to Tel Aviv; this was the first public flight on this route, as Saudi Arabia does not officially recognize Israel. Reuven Rivlin, the President of Israel, and Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister, were among the first to welcome Donald Trump and his accompanying delegation of 1,500 people at Ben Gurion Airport. Extensive security measures have been implemented by Israel for the days of Mr. Trump's stay, particularly in Jerusalem. Ten thousand police officers and thousands of plainclothes and uniformed security personnel, along with expert snipers, are part of these measures. Highway number one between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem will be completely blocked for hours on both days. According to Israeli media, as the large American convoy with over sixty special vehicles, most of which were transferred from U.S. security agencies to Israel, moves, more than seventy highways, roads, and streets, mainly in Jerusalem, will be closed during Mr. Trump's visit. The city center of Jerusalem, where Mr. Trump and his entourage will stay in the King David and Mamilla hotels, near the Western Wall and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in East Jerusalem, is under the strictest security measures. Half an hour before the landing of 'Air Force One' at Tel Aviv Airport, a routine car accident in a street in Tel Aviv raised suspicions of a terrorist incident, but Israeli police announced that the driver had caused a normal accident. During his two-day working schedule in Israel and the Palestinian territories, Mr. Trump will first meet with the President of Israel, then visit the Western Wall and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, followed by political discussions with Prime Minister Netanyahu, and will have dinner with Netanyahu and his wife on Monday night. On Tuesday, June 2, Mr. Trump will visit Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ in the West Bank. This is Mr. Trump's second meeting with Mahmoud Abbas in less than three weeks. Before leaving Israel, Donald Trump will give a speech at the Jerusalem Museum. Benjamin Netanyahu stated in a government meeting on Sunday that strengthening security cooperation and further solidifying the alliance between Israel and the U.S. will be the result of this visit. However, Israeli media reported that Netanyahu will present stricter measures against the Islamic Republic of Iran and ways to compel Iran to leave Syria to Donald Trump. Israel Katz, the Israeli Minister of Information, spoke on Sunday about the necessity of forming a stronger alliance against Iran in the discussions between Israeli leaders and Donald Trump. Yuval Steinitz, the Minister of Energy and one of the closest politicians to the Prime Minister, expressed concern on Sunday about the $100 billion arms deal between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, calling it 'disturbing' for Israel. This Israeli official stated that the presence of such modern weaponry in a 'hostile' country 'robs Israel of its peaceful sleep.' Steinitz emphasized that in discussions with Mr. Trump, the Israeli leader should ask the U.S. without any hesitation what guarantees it provides to maintain Israel's military superiority in the region.