As Tillerson, a financial supporter of the illegal settlements on the West Bank, unusually for a diplomat goes to the Western (“Wailing”) Wall, the Trump White House has told Israel it is not Israeli but part of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
While factually true*, this will not endear the WH to the right wing Israelis in power.
From Reuters:
Israel wants the White House to explain why a U.S. diplomat preparing President Donald Trump's visit to Jerusalem said Judaism's Holy Western Wall in its Old City is part of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, an Israeli official said on Monday.
Israel considers all of Jerusalem as its indivisible capital, a claim that is not recognized internationally, and the Western Wall - the holiest prayer site for Jews - is part of territory it captured in the 1967 Middle East war.
Israel's Channel 2 reported that during a planning meeting between U.S. and Israeli officials, the Israelis were told that Trump's visit to the Western Wall was private, Israel did not have jurisdiction in the area and that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not welcome to accompany Trump there.
This is what you get when you sack long standing career diplomats expert in the intricacies of international relationships.
*I suppose it should be pointed out that the whole of Jerusalem is legally an occupied United Nations protectorate in accordance with UNGA Resolution 181
Tuesday, May 16, 2017 · 2:37:58 AM +00:00
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Lib Dem FoP
Of course there is absolutely no connection between Trump’s demands for his visit to Israel and this:
Abu Dhabi // Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed will hold talks at the White House with Donald Trump on Monday to discuss enhancing cooperation on counterterrorism, confronting Iran and other core issues in the increasingly close relationship.
Over the course of what is expected to be a two-day visit to Washington, Sheikh Mohammed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, is also scheduled to meet the US secretaries of defence and state, and to brief senior members of congress.