President Donald Trump will likely attend the unveiling of the new US embassy in Jerusalem, according to a report by Channel 2 Sunday evening.
While the White House has remained mum on whether the president will take part in the historic ceremony marking the official transfer of the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the president has suggested recently he may fly to Israel for the event.
On Friday, President Trump hinted at a possible trip to Israel for the country’s 70th Independence Day.
“Jerusalem has been promised for many years. [Past presidents] have all made campaign promises, but never had the courage to do it. So I might go,” President Trump said at a press conference Friday.
The 70th anniversary of the state’s establishment, according to the Gregorian calendar, falls in May 14th, the date chosen by US State Department officials for the opening of the new embassy.
A report in March said Trump would not attend the opening of the embassy in Jerusalem due to scheduling conflicts.
It was reported that in the president’s place, Trump’s daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner would represent the administration at the embassy’s opening ceremony.
According to a report by Channel 2 Sunday night, President Trump is in fact planning on attending the ceremony marking the opening of the ceremony, though no final decision has yet been made.
In addition, the report claims that the president is strongly considering requests to issue a presidential pardon to convicted spy Jonathan Pollard.
The 63-year-old former civilian analyst for the US Navy was convicted in 1985 and sentenced to life imprisonment, but was paroled in November 2015, after having served 30 years in federal prison.
The pardon would enable Pollard and his wife to immigrate to Israel, removing the restrictions imposed by his parole.
Earlier on Sunday, Israeli Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz (Likud) urged President Trump to pardon the ex-spy.
Speaking at the Jerusalem Post Conference in New York Sunday, Katz said such a move would “make the celebration” of Israel’s 70th Independence Day and the relocation of the US embassy to Jerusalem “even happier”.
“I would like to ask our great friend President Trump, to give the Israeli public one more present, and to allow Jonathan Pollard to come to Israel, and celebrate with us in Jerusalem.”
“… the president has suggested recently he may fly to Israel for the event.”
He will if he’s told to.
“The 70th anniversary of the state’s establishment, according to the Gregorian calendar, falls in May 14th, the date chosen by US State Department officials for the opening of the new embassy.”
Time’s up.
So, the tiger once again displays his stripes. He “may” pardon a spy.
I say, to embrace the enemy is to abandon the ally.
Here are some Wiki excerpts on Pollard:
Jonathan Jay Pollard (born August 7, 1954) is a former intelligence analyst for the United States government. In 1987, as part of a plea agreement, Pollard pleaded guilty to spying for and providing top-secret classified information to Israel
He was paid $10,000 cash and given a very expensive diamond and sapphire ring, which Pollard later offered to his girlfriend Anne when proposing to her. Pollard was paid well by the Israelis: he received a salary that eventually reached $2,500 a month, and tens of thousands of dollars in cash disbursements for hotels, meals, and jewelry.
Pollard also stole classified documents related to China on behalf of his wife, who used the information to advance her personal business-interests.
As of 2014, the full extent of the information Pollard passed to Israel has still not been officially revealed.
When asked to return the stolen material, the Israelis reportedly turned over only a few dozen less sensitive documents. At the time, the Americans knew that Pollard had passed tens of thousands of documents.
Critics allege that Pollard’s espionage, which compromised elements of four major intelligence systems, damaged American national security far more than was ever publicly acknowledged. … …Israel paid him well, and he spent the money on cocaine, alcohol, and expensive meals.
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