Trump Will Skip Yad Vashem On Israel Visit

Masada, the ancient Israeli fortress overlooking the Dead Sea. Image by wikimedia

By Daniel J. Solomon May 10, 2017

President Trump might skip a stop to Yad Vashem while visiting Israel later this month as part of his first foreign trip as president.

That’s just one of the surprises in the itinerary, reported by Israel’s Channel 2 on Tuesday. Another is that Trump will travel to Bethlehem rather than Ramallah to meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. The Palestinian Authority is based in Ramallah.

It’s also customary for visitors to Israel to offer their respect at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial. Ynet reported on Tuesday that Trump’s appearance there is still being negotiated.

Trump will pack a lot of action into his two days in the area, where he will land on May 22. He also plans to give an address at the ancient Masada fortress, and meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin.

Trump’s foreign tour will also feature stops in Vatican City and Saudi Arabia – featuring the birthplaces and contemporary homes of the West’s three monotheistic religions.

Contact Daniel J. Solomon at [email protected] or on Twitter @DanielJSolomon

Daniel J. Solomon is the former Assistant to the Editor/News Writer at the Forward. Originally from Queens, he attended Harvard as an undergraduate, where he wrote his senior thesis on French-Jewish intellectual history. He is excited to have returned to New York after his time in Massachusetts. Daniel’s passions include folk music, cycling, and pointed argument.