Trump who had been scheduled to meet Netanyahu on December 28, says he has postponed the visit until after he is elected US President.
Leading and controversial US Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump has unexpectedly canceled his visit to Israel. He had been scheduled to visit on December 28 and meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, Trump tweeted today that he was postponing the visit until after he is elected US President. Trump has been in the center of a storm of controversy since proposing earlier this week a blanket ban on Muslims entering the US.
In the wake of Trump's statement on the Muslim ban, Netanyahu had resisted calls to cancel his meeting with Trump, saying that it was his policy to meet with all candidates. He did take the opportunity to distance himself somewhat from Trump's comment on Muslims. He said that he rejected Trump's words and that, "The State of Israel respects all religions and strictly protects the rights of all its citizens. At the same time, Israel is fighting against Islamic extremism, which is attacks Muslims, Christians and Jews and threatens the entire world."
Since making his statement about a blanket Muslim ban for the US, Trump has shown no remorse and repeated the statement many times insisting that "some of his best friends who are Muslims" agree with him.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 10, 2015
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Donald Trump