Trump’s Jerusalem

You couldn’t get very close to Donald Trump in Jerusalem yesterday, but here are some photos of what was happening around him.

Sites he was visiting were wrapped with Christo-like white sheets as a blind to keep anyone from seeing where the president was.

Wrapping Trump sites as blinds on potential disrupters, and view of surveillance balloon in background, Jerusalem May 22, 2017

That shot is near the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Notice the surveillance balloon in the sky to the left, near the King David Hotel.

Israeli soldier surveils Western Wall with view of Dome of the Rock, on Trump visit, May 22, 2017

A lot of armed soldiers were everywhere in the Old City.

Checkpoint in Jerusalem near Prime Minister’s residence, May 22, 2017

And Jewish Israelis were getting a taste of their own medicine: heavily-armed checkpoints stopping all forms of traffic, but in West Jerusalem, this one near the scene of Trump’s dinner last night at the president’s house.

There are a lot of Christian Zionists hoping to see Trump, or proselytize him.

Norwegian Christian Zionist Jon Vae waits for Trump near King David Hotel, May 22, 2017
Christian Zionist ad for Trump near King David Hotel, May 21, 2017

And some regular Jewish Zionists too.

American student at religious center overlooking Western Wall awaits Trump’s visit, May 22, 2017

I’m not sure whether Sam from Philly is a Zionist, but he was waiting for Trump near the Jaffa Gate.

Sam, 28, from Philadelphia, outside Old City of Jerusalem, May 22, 2017

So was Lester Holt.

Lester Holt of NBC near Jaffa Gate, May 22, 2017

Nearby is the American consulate. There was a protest of American support to the Palestinian Authority, by families of victims of terror attacks.

Yossi Zur, 58, with portrait of his son killed in Haifa terror attack, in protest outside US consulate on May 21, 2017

Trump was busy in the Old City. Mairav Zonszein tweeted that Ivanka was dressed for a funeral.

Ivanka Trump at the Western Wall, as seen in an apartment in West Jerusalem, May 22, 2017

When she and her father visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Israeli soldiers guarding them were busy taking portraits of tourists.

Tourist gets a portrait with an Israeli soldier, by an Israeli soldier, at checkpoint by Church of Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, May 22, 2017

You can see the same blinds, wrapping the street outside the King David Hotel.

King David Hotel, with flags of two nations, is emptied and locked down Sunday, in anticipation of Trump’s retinue.

Meantime, all the Palestinian businesses in the Old City were shuttered, out of solidarity with the hunger strikers.

Businesses in Muslim Quarter Old City Jerusalem shuttered in solidarity with Palestinian hunger strikers, May 22, 2017

Another appeal to Trump.

Sign greeting Trump to Old City, May 22, 2017

Another. I guess this one is pitched to Ivanka and Jared Kushner.

Orthodox institution bids for Trump, May 22, 2017, Jerusalem

Though some people didn’t like Trump. These were signs at an anti-Trump, pro-Israel rally last night in the Independence Park:

Protester, anti-Trump rally, Jerusalem, May 22, 2017
Protester at rally during Trump visit, Independence Park, May 22, 2017

Nearby is the Museum of Tolerance, being built on a Muslim cemetery. The protesters were aimed at bigotry and racism, but they didn’t mention the museum, or not while I was there.

Museum of Tolerance, a project of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, on the site of an ancient Muslim cemetery in Jerusalem

Two more pictures. I couldn’t help noticing Karlie Kloss’s image in the Adidas store window. She’s reportedly going out with Jared Kushner’s brother. I wondered if the placement was intentional.

Adidas store in Mamilla mall with Karlie Kloss ad in window, May 22, 2017

Another shot of the barricaded West Jerusalem streets. This happens in Palestine all the time.

Barricaded street, West Jerusalem, May 22, 2017

 

 

 

 

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That poster with Abbas with a bagfull of money tells it’s own story, then picture Trump sword dancing with the Saudi despots one day then wearing a Yamulke and preying at the Western wall the next. Should the Palestinians prepare to be thrown under the bus? Or is this a prelude to the GCC states and Israel teaming up with the US to [as the Saudis say] cut the head off the snake [Iran].

What’s a “Zionist apartment”?

What’s a “Zionist apartment”?

Theft. Duh.

To all those Jewish Israelis whose daily lives were disrupted by the visit … as we say in Brooklyn, es tut mir leid. Translation: I’m sorry for your troubles. Words are German, sarcasm is Yiddish.

RE: “Christian Zionist ad for Trump near King David Hotel, May 21, 2017” ~ caption below this photo (from above)

SEE: “Who’s Behind the Dozens of pro-Trump Billboards Around Jerusalem?” | by Judy Maltz | Haaretz.com | May 22, 2017
An influential Christian Zionist and fierce opponent of the two-state solution spent $100,000 to remind the U.S. president to make good on his promises

[EXCERPT] When U.S. President Donald Trump arrives in Jerusalem on Monday afternoon, huge billboards proclaiming “Trump is a Friend of Zion” and requesting “Trump Make Israel Great” will greet him.

It will be hard for the American leader to avoid them. Altogether, 42 billboards featuring intertwined Israeli and American flags have been erected around the city at a total cost of $100,000.

So who’s behind this big campaign? The billboards bear the name Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem, but in fact, the initiative is really the brainchild of one man – Mike Evans, the founder of this institution and among the first Christian evangelical leaders to declare his support for Trump’s presidential run.

Evans wants Trump to know that he intends to ensure that the president makes good on his campaign promises. In a statement issued through a local spokeswoman, he said: “Donald Trump won the election because of a historic evangelical voter turnout – the largest in American history. Evangelicals tend not to be monolithic except on two issues – the Supreme Court and Israel. President Trump promised us he would recognize Jerusalem and move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem. We wholeheartedly believe that this promise is non-negotiable and will happen while he is president.”

What do we know about Evans? He is the founder and chairman of the Friends of Zion Museum, which opened two years ago in Jerusalem and pays tribute to Christians who helped Jews throughout history, with a special focus on Christian Zionists. He is also a member of Trump’s executive evangelical advisory board. He declined a request for an interview with Haaretz.

Evans, who claims among his close friends the late Prime Minister Menachem Begin and current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is a fierce opponent of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. . .

CONTINUED AT –
http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.790730