Red carpet and road closures: Israel gears up for Trump’s arrival

Police said thousands of officers will be deployed at the airport, in Jerusalem, and along the main routes between the two, beginning early Monday morning.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

Israeli authorities are finalizing preparations for the arrival of US President Donald Trump, who is set to land in Israel on Monday morning to oversee the first stage of a US-backed agreement aimed at securing the release of the remaining hostages held in Gaza.

At Ben-Gurion Airport, Defense Ministry teams have hung dozens of Israeli and American flags and laid a 50-meter red carpet for Trump’s arrival, scheduled for around 9 a.m.

“The staff of the logistics department have been working around the clock in recent days to ensure everything goes according to plan and that the event occurs in a successful, respectful manner,” the ministry said in a statement.

Erez Sidon, head of the ministry’s Security Division, added, “The US President’s visit, against the backdrop of the plan for the release of our hostages, is accompanied by great excitement and anticipation. Our personnel have been working tirelessly to make sure everything proceeds smoothly and with dignity.”

Police said thousands of officers will be deployed at the airport, in Jerusalem, and along the main routes between the two, beginning early Monday morning.

Significant road closures are expected in central Israel and within Jerusalem during the brief visit.

Trump is expected to spend about four hours in the country, meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and addressing the Knesset before returning to the airport.

The release of hostages from Gaza is expected to begin Monday morning, followed by the release of around 250 Palestinian security prisoners. The exchange is complicated by Hamas’ claim that it cannot locate some of the bodies.

Approximately 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’ attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 48 remaining hostages, about 20 are believed to be alive.