Trump's arrival in Israel. Trump became the first sitting US president to visit the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Setting in the Fog

The real results of US President Donald Trump's visit to Israel remained hidden within the walls of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence, where a private reception was held last night. But most of the nuances of the official visit instill more optimism than disappointment among Israeli residents.

Mild disappointments include one unfulfilled election promise and another that was shelved. The newly elected president did not make Israel the first country on his foreign tour, although he initially announced such plans.

“It’s a bit of a pity that Trump started his tour from Saudi Arabia, in this regard they outplayed us. At the same time, it should be noted that there is a clear change in the vector of the entire foreign policy of the current president, and Israel will only benefit in this regard,” says Environment Minister Ze’ev Elkin, who also serves as Minister of Jerusalem Affairs.

“We also hope that Donald Trump will keep his promise and move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, even if not immediately, but after some time,” Elkin added, the BBC reported.

At the same time, the White House used the words "Jerusalem, Israel" when broadcasting a video about President Donald Trump's visit. According to the Jewish news agency JTA, this indicates a change in concept, since the Obama and Bush administrations used only the word “Jerusalem” in these cases and even corrected the inscriptions twice, removing the word “Israel” from them.

Also, during his visit to Israel, Trump visited the Western Wall, located in the eastern part of Jerusalem, which is claimed by the Palestinians, but refused Prime Minister Netanyahu, who was going to accompany him.

Donald Trump, after meeting with Mahmoud Abbas, said: “I will do everything in my power to reach a peace treaty... I have heard that resolving the Middle East conflict is considered one of the most difficult tasks. But it seems to me that in the near future we can get closer to resolving it.”

But here Jerusalem becomes a stumbling block. Even upon Trump’s arrival in Israel, the country’s President Reuven Rivlin noted that Israel would never give up Jerusalem, but was ready for peace, only for the present, which would be built on mutual respect and trust.

At the same time, after negotiations with Donald Trump, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas emphasized commitment to the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with its capital in East Jerusalem. “The acquisition of freedom and independence by our Palestinian people is the key to peace and stability in the world,” Abbas was quoted as saying by DW.

At the same time, Israel itself believes that the world’s perception of the relationship between Israelis and Palestinians is outdated.

“In recent years, Israel has significantly simplified all processes related to the movement of Palestinians in the West Bank; tens of thousands of Palestinians work in large Israeli industrial zones. At the same time, in the international arena, Israel is still perceived as an oppressor of the Palestinians, which is fundamentally untrue,” the BBC reports the words of Deputy Minister in the Ministry of the Prime Minister Michael Oren, a former Israeli ambassador to the United States.

Dear friends!
Especially for you, we decided to collect all the main events that occurred during the official visit of the American President to Israel.

From our news you will learn what the American president did for the first time in Israel, how the first ladies of the two countries spend their time, and what the leaders of Israel and America hope for.
The president's visit to Israel became one of the most important events in the media. According to the Office of the Prime Minister's Office of Media Relations (LAAM), about 400 foreign journalists from dozens of countries arrived to cover US President Donald Trump's visit to Israel. We also decided to get involved and collect for you in one post all the most interesting things that happened on the first day of Trump’s visit to Israel.

First let's talk about purposes visit.
The Haaretz newspaper, citing sources in the White House, reports that President Donald Trump will visit Israel and Palestine to restart peace talks between conflicting parties. The President will hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas.
The publication also reports that Trump is going to devote his visit to Israel "restoration and improvement" of bilateral US-Israeli relations, who experienced a “difficult period” during the eight years of Barack Obama’s presidency.
However, Channel 9 presents an alternative view of Trump's visit. Israeli Construction Minister Yoav Galant commented on the upcoming visit to Israel of US President Donald Trump as follows: “The upcoming visit of US President Donald Trump to Israel is an important signal for Russia about the need to stop the Iranian-Shiite takeover of Syria.” According to Galant, Donald Trump's visit to Israel demonstrates a radical change in US Middle East policy and moving Israel to a key place in the list of priorities of the new American administration. “Trump demonstrates to Putin that Israel and the United States do not intend to allow the creation of a Shiite axis of Iran, Syria and Hezbollah under the auspices of Russia in our region,” the minister emphasized.

So, now the actual chronicle of the visit:

On Monday, May 22, at 12:20 Air Force One with US President Donald Trump on board landed at Ben Gurion International Airport.

At Ben-Gurion Airport, President Donald Trump was met by Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, cabinet ministers and parliamentarians, and representatives of various religious communities. Reuven Rivlin delivered a welcoming speech, emphasizing the friendly relations between the two countries and expressing hope for peace in the Middle East region. The President of Israel noted that Trump arrived on the days when the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Jerusalem was celebrated. Then Benjamin Netanyahu spoke, he noted that never before had a US President included Israel in the program of his first foreign tour. Donald Trump gave a short speech third. He stated the importance of joint actions of civilized countries, including Israel and the United States, in the fight against terrorism. Trump emphasized the continued friendly relations between the United States and Israel.

From Ben-Gurion, Trump and his entourage went by helicopter to Jerusalem. After 14:00, the US President arrived at the residence of Israeli President Reuven Rivlin. Here, in his speech at a press conference, he spoke about the need to achieve lasting peace in the region. He also said that the United States will not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. Sources in the presidential residence said that before the start of the official meeting, Reuven Rivlin asked Trump to assist in the return of the bodies of Israeli soldiers and citizens held by Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.

Around 3:10 p.m., President Donald Trump and Melania Trump left the Israeli presidential residence. They headed to Old city, where we visited the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Western Wall. Organizers of Trump's visit had previously warned that the visit to the Old City would be private and asked that Israeli officials not accompany guests on the trip. They were joined by Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka, and her husband Jared Kushner.

It is worth noting that Trump became the first sitting American president to visit the Western Wall during his official visit.

At 18:00, Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu arrived at the King David Hotel, where they held face-to-face talks. Journalists were waiting in the hotel lobby for the leaders of the two states, hoping to ask questions to the US President. However, Donald Trump's busy schedule did not allow time for communication with media representatives. However, before retiring with Benjamin Netanyahu, Donald Trump commented on the scandal surrounding the transfer to Russia of classified intelligence information allegedly received from Israel. Donald Trump said that when transmitting classified information, he “did not mention Israel at all.” In addition, Donald Trump assured the Israelis that he would not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, the First Lady of the United States Melania Trump Accompanied by the wife of Israeli Prime Minister Sara Netanyahu, she visited the Adasa Ein Kerem Medical Center, where she met with children undergoing treatment at the hospital, representatives of the medical staff and the management of Adasa. In a personal conversation, Sarah Netanyahu told Melania Trump about the heroism shown by IDF soldiers during Operation Protective Edge. The press service of the Adasa clinic notes that this hospital was not chosen by chance for the visit. The Adasa complex was founded by the Adasa Women's Organization, the world's largest American Zionist women's organization, with more than 300,000 members and supporters in the United States alone, raising funds for the hospital from its founding to the present day.

At 20:00 at the King David Hotel there was a gala dinner with the participation of 80 people - Americans and Israelis. The dinner was attended by US Secretary of State, US Secretary of Defense, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, as well as Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman and other Israeli ministers.

passed before dinner briefing at the Prime Minister's Residence, Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump spoke to reporters. The briefing format did not involve communication with representatives of the press.

Benjamin Netanyahu spoke first as host. He thanked Donald Trump for his efforts to achieve peace in the region, for his commitment to the security of Israel, as well as the position that the new White House administration takes regarding Iran. “For the first time in my entire life, I feel real hope for change,” Benjamin Netanyahu said. Donald Trump, who flew to Israel after a visit to Saudi Arabia, assured that many countries in the region, many Islamic countries, are tired of wars and terror and want change. According to him, the Arab world shares the concerns of Israel and the United States about Iran's nuclear ambitions. “We are ready to support any country that joins the fight against terror and is ready to stop the bloodshed,” Donald Trump said. The US President also noted that changes in the region are impossible without peace between Israelis and Palestinians. He noted that this “requires the parties to be willing to accept the most difficult agreements.” “I have heard that the agreement between the Palestinians and the Israelis is the most difficult, but I have a feeling that we will achieve it eventually,” Donald Trump concluded.

US President Donald Trump, during his official visit to Israel on Monday, May 22, visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem, becoming the first sitting US president to visit this main Jewish shrine, CNN reports.

Trump, wearing a kippah, placed his right hand against the wall, closing his eyes. He came here accompanied by his son-in-law and senior adviser to US President Jared Kushner, as well as Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovich.

US presidents have avoided appearing at the Western Wall because the area of ​​Jerusalem fell to Israel after the 1967 Six-Day War and is not recognized by the United States as part of Israeli territory.

As reported by NEWSru Israel, Trump's wife Melania and daughter Ivanka visited the women's section of the Western Wall.

Donald and Melania Trump headed to the Old City from the residence of the President of Israel. Organizers warned that the visit would be private and asked that Israeli officials not accompany guests on the trip.

Trump assured that he did not mention Israel in his conversation with Lavrov

After visiting the Old City, Trump and Netanyahu arrived at the King David Hotel, where they held one-on-one talks.

Journalists were waiting in the hotel lobby for the leaders of the two states, hoping to ask questions to the US President, but Trump’s visit schedule did not allow time for communication with media representatives.

However, Trump commented on the scandal surrounding the transfer to Russia of secret intelligence information allegedly received from Israel. He stated that he "never mentioned the word or name 'Israel' in a conversation with Russian diplomats about the terrorist group 'Islamic State'*, after which he was accused of disclosing classified information. According to the AP, according to Trump, this is 'another story'." which the media "misunderstood".

In addition, Donald Trump assured the Israelis that he would not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons.

The Washington Post reported that President Trump handed over to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov top secret information regarding IS*, access to which was not given even to allies. The newspaper cited officials who believed that Trump’s action jeopardized US cooperation “with an ally that has the ability to receive information about what is happening inside the Islamic State*.

According to media reports, secret information related to the plans of Islamic State militants* to blow up the plane and was received from an Israeli spy in the ranks of IS*.

More than 10 thousand people provide security

Israeli security forces have given the security operation for the US President's visit to Israel the code name "Blue Shield". The security of Trump and his entourage is provided by the Israeli police together with the US Presidential Secret Service. In total, more than 10 thousand law enforcement officers are involved.

The American delegation's motorcade, headed by the deputy chief of the Israeli traffic police, consists of 60 cars, including several limousines, one of which carries the American leader.

During the visit, many streets in Jerusalem will be closed. It was previously reported that Trump will live in a room costing $5,700 per night, which can withstand the explosion of the entire hotel, a shot from a sniper rifle or a rocket hit.

On May 23, Trump will visit Bethlehem, where he will meet with PNA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. After this, the American leader will go to the Yad Vashem memorial complex, dedicated to the Holocaust and the heroism of the Jewish people.

He will give a speech at the Israel Museum that will sum up the results of his visit to the Middle East. The US presidential delegation will leave Israel in the afternoon.

*"Islamic State" (IS, ISIS, Daesh) is a terrorist group banned in the Russian Federation.

Donald Trump and King of Saudi Arabia ​Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud (Photo: Evan Vucci / AP)

Hassan Rouhani, who was re-elected as President of Iran on May 19, did not leave his speech in Riyadh without comment. He called the summit “a show devoid of political and practical expediency.” Washington must abandon its militaristic policy, interference in the affairs of other states, the spread of Iranophobia and the sale of dangerous and useless weapons to the main sponsors of terrorism, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi commented on the speeches of the American president on May 22. According to him, the main goal of the American president was to achieve the sale of American weapons to the countries of the region. The main commercial result of Trump’s visit to Riyadh was the conclusion of contracts for the supply of weapons for almost $110 billion.

“With his anti-Iranian rhetoric, Trump demonstrates the model of behavior that his Middle Eastern allies expect from him,” Leonid Isaev, a senior lecturer at the Higher School of Economics, told RBC. According to the expert, Middle Eastern leaders are demonstrating their loyalty to Washington, and in return they are counting on guarantees of stability and protection, as was the case before the reign of previous US President Barack Obama. Obama adhered to a different strategy; he believed that the main threat came from the Islamic State banned in Russia, and not from Iran, so he was ready to cooperate with Tehran in the fight against terrorism, Isaev explains.

With his visit and exchange of pleasantries, Trump showed the rulers of Saudi Arabia that under him relations will develop differently, but this does not mean that a real coalition against Iran will be created, since no one needs a war, says Isaev.

Setting in the Fog

“Historic,” as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu put it, Trump’s two-day visit to Israel did not clarify the new American administration’s approach to resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. At the beginning of his stay, Trump confirmed the inviolability of the US alliance with the state of Israel. He said the same thing before leaving: “My administration will always be with Israel” (quote from Reuters).

Israeli media are highlighting the importance of these statements after relations between Tel Aviv and Washington deteriorated sharply at the end of the administration of US President Barack Obama due to the fact that the US did not veto a UN Security Council resolution condemning the construction of Jewish settlements in disputed territories .

Following negotiations with Netanyahu, Trump only expressed confidence that the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians can be resolved peacefully. “He (Netanyahu. - RBC) does a lot, and it's not easy. I heard that this is the most difficult deal, but I feel that ultimately we will achieve it, I hope,” the American president commented on the possibility of concluding an agreement between Israel and Palestine.

During his visit to Israel, Trump met not only with the leaders of the Jewish state, but also with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The meeting in Bethlehem was their second in recent times (Abbas visited Washington on May 3). However, its participants did not report any specific agreements.

Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

Speaking about a possible solution to the problem, Trump indicated that it must be adopted “in an environment free from violence.” Prime Minister Netanyahu consistently states that it will be possible to seek a diplomatic solution to the conflict only after the cessation of attacks on Israel from Palestinian territory. Abbas did not comment on Trump's words about violence. According to the Palestinian leader, the conflict with Israel is not of a religious nature, but the main problem is Israel's ongoing settlement activity in disputed territories (in the West Bank) and non-recognition of the Palestinian state. Abbas reiterated his position that a peaceful solution must be based on the creation of two separate states within the 1967 borders.

Trump did not talk about the two-state principle on this trip. Previously, he indicated that he would be satisfied with any solution that suits the parties. Netanyahu also did not touch upon the possibility of creating a Palestinian state and the problem of Jerusalem. The Israeli prime minister said on Monday that a peace deal with the Palestinians must be “genuine and lasting” and recognize the Jewish state.

The American president’s Middle East strategy did not become clearer following the visit, since he does not have a clear understanding of the situation in the region, largely due to the shortage of experts in the State Department, explains Isaev. Trump is addressing the Middle East issue in general, without specifics, demonstrating his intentions and indicating the range of parties with whom he is ready to negotiate in the future, the expert says.

Trump’s visits are not elements of a large-scale US strategy towards the Middle East region, says Andrey Sushentsov, program director of the Valdai Club Foundation. Given that the administration is paralyzed on many domestic policy issues, Trump needs to constantly remain in the media coverage, take the initiative and project the image of a winner, which is what the series of visits served, Sushentsov says.