Why is Donald Trump going to Israel?
Prime Minister Netanyahu will meet with Trump when he visits Israel next month.
In this Dec. 3, 2015, photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at the Republican Jewish Coalition Presidential Forum in Washington. Trump says he is calling for a "complete and total shutdown" on Muslims entering the United States. Trump says in a statement released by his campaign Dec. 7 that his proposal comes in response to the level of hatred among "large segments of the Muslim population" toward Americans.
AP Photo/Susan Walsh
After claiming that Obama聽was 鈥�," Donald Trump has announced he will be visiting the country next month to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.聽
Prime Minister Netanyahu, who often meets with members of Congress, and has announced that he will聽
The trip, which was planned two weeks ago, came before Mr. Trump made a statement calling for Muslims to be banned from entering the United States.
Some Arab Israeli lawmakers have called on the government to block Trump鈥檚 visit to Israel.
鈥淗e is not only a racist, ,鈥� Issawi Frej, an Israeli parliamentarian told Washington Post. 鈥淗e is a man who incites against 20 percent of Israel鈥檚 population, a man who wants to fan the flames of hatred everywhere he visits.鈥澛�
Trump鈥檚 anti-Muslim statement was also widely condemned by many Jewish Americans.聽
鈥淚n the Jewish community, we know all too well what can happen when a particular religious group is 鈥澛燗nti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greeblatt wrote in a statement Monday evening. 鈥淲e also know that this country must not give into fear by turning its back on its fundamental values, even at a time of great crisis. As we have said so many times, to do otherwise signals to the terrorists that they are winning the battle against democracy and freedom.鈥�
It is not uncommon for GOP candidates to travel overseas during their presidential campaigns: the trips help bolster a candidate's image abroad and help burnish foreign-policy credentials.
Last month, Ben Carson visited Jordan to see a UN camp for Syrian refugees for the first time. GOP candidates Gov. Chris Christie and Gov. Scott Walker, who has since canceled his campaign,聽 on separate visits earlier this year. It was Mr. Christie鈥檚 fourth foreign trip as governor 鈥� he鈥檚 also visited Canada, Israel, and Mexico.聽
Israel has also often been a popular destination for prospective candidates. Indiana Governor Mike Pence met with Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Arkansas Gov. .
It鈥檚 unclear what鈥檚 on Trump鈥檚 agenda aside from meeting with the Prime Minister, but according to the Jerusalem Post, Trump was considering , a contested holy site and highly sensitive location for Palestinians and Israelis.