US President Donald Trump (AP/Alex Brandon)
Israel has engaged in intensive preparations ahead of Trump’s visit, but a labor dispute at the foreign ministry is threatening the plans.
A labor dispute at Israel’s foreign ministry is threatening preparations for US President Donald Trump’s visit to the country later this month.
The foreign ministry workers’ union has threatened to disrupt the event over a salary dispute with the finance ministry.
The foreign ministry has declined to complete logistical preparations for Trump’s visit, “including position papers, preparatory meetings, supply orders, visas, diplomatic mail packages and other activities [that] have not been done,” Israel’s Yediot Ahronoth reported Tuesday.
The workers’ union said their refusal to cooperate was instigated by “the Ministry of Finance’s contempt for an agreement with Foreign Ministry employees.” The union claims the finance ministry neglected to implement a new wage agreement two months ago and has not taken any action to resolve the crisis.
Hanan Goder, head of the workers’ union and Israel’s ambassador to South Sudan, told IDF Radio the union “will take all measures” to ensure Trump’s visit is seen as “embarrassing.”
In the meantime, a delegation from the White House and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is on the way and will land in Israel Friday to map out Trump’s visit.
Israel’s Channel 2 reported that the president’s first stop will be the Kotel, the Western Wall, in the Old City of Jerusalem. From there he will head to a reception at President Reuven Rivlin’s residence.
Trump will also visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum and have dinner with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The next day, Trump is slated to give a speech at Masada before continuing on to Bethlehem to meet with the Palestinians.
Trump will be staying at Jerusalem’s exclusive King David Hotel, the usual choice for visiting senior government officials, with all of its 233 rooms reserved for his 1,000-man entourage.
On his first trip abroad as president, Trump plans to visit Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the Vatican. He will then travel to Brussels for a NATO meeting, followed by Sicily for a meeting of the G-7 nations before returning to the US.
By: World Israel News Staff
JNS.org contributed to this report.
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