Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas (C) at Arafat's tomb. (Issam Rimawi/POOL/Flash90)
The Palestinians planned to have Trump visit the grave of arch-terrorist Arafat during his upcoming trip, but perceptive American officials vetoed the plan.
The Palestinians planned to have US President Donald Trump visit the burial chamber of late Palestinian leader and arch-terrorist Yasser Arafat during his upcoming trip to the region in late May, but American officials nixed the plan.
Israel Hayom reported Monday that the Palestinians were preparing a welcoming ceremony for Trump at the Muqata’a compound, the Palestinian Authority’s government center in Ramallah, where he would have arrived by way of Arafat’s tomb and been compelled to pay his respects.
Such an event could have sparked a severe diplomatic incident with Israel.
Arafat, the late head of the terrorist Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA), was responsible for the deaths of thousands of Israelis.
The Israel Hayom report cited an unnamed Palestinian official who said the intention was to keep Trump and his entourage in the dark regarding the scheme. However, the Secret Service nixed the plan while organizing security arrangements.
A report by Israel’s Channel 2 from last week said that Trump will visit Bethlehem, not Ramallah.
On his first trip abroad as president, Trump will also head to Saudi Arabia, then to Italy to meet with Pope Francis and Italian President Mattarella, followed by a NATO summit in Brussels and back to Italy for a G7 meeting in Sicily.
By: World Israel News Staff
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