Israeli Mayor Names Park After Trump, POTUS Says He’s ‘Moved’ By Gesture

President Trump after signing a proclamation recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel Image by Getty Images

By Nathan Guttman December 19, 2017

The Israeli city of Kiryat Yam does not usually come up in the context of international politics. But word of the small working-class town of 40,000 near Haifa recently made it to the desk of the President of the United States.

The reason: Kiryat Yam’s mayor, David Even Tzur, named a park in the city after President Trump, honoring the president for recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Even Tzur updated the U.S. ambassador to Israel David Friedman about the decision, and Friedman conveyed the message to the White House. Shortly after, an official letter, carrying the presidential seal and Trump’s signature, landed in Even Tzur’s office.

“I am grateful for your gesture and am moved to know that the people of Israel are encouraged by my decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,” Trump wrote. “I send my very best wishes to you and the people of Kiryat Yam.”

Contact Nathan Guttman at [email protected] or on Twitter @nathanguttman

Nathan Guttman, staff writer, was the Forward’s Washington bureau chief. He joined the staff in 2006 after serving for five years as Washington correspondent for the Israeli dailies Haaretz and The Jerusalem Post. In Israel, he was the features editor for Ha’aretz and chief editor of Channel 1 TV evening news. He was born in Canada and grew up in Israel. He is a graduate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.