Presidential Visit Trumps Jerusalem Day

  Jerusalem, Israel,

prepared for Yom Yerushalayim,

Jerusalem Day,

Flag for Yom Yerushalayim on hospital Jerusalem Israel

with large Israeli flags draped on old buildings,

Yom Yerhushalayim, Jerusalem Day flags painted on side of light rail train

and painted across the modern light rail trains.

The footbridge over Derech Hevron, Hebron Road,

Jerusalem Israel large flags for Yom Yerushalayim

was covered by a long Israeli flag on one side

Yom Yerushalayim flags

and the Jerusalem city flag on the other.

Yom Yerushalayimi school outing to Old City Yemin Moshe

School trips this time of year are a common sight.

But this year,

US President Donald Trump was visiting.

Israel and US flags on King David Hotel

US and Israeli flags flew over the King David Hotel

where the Presidential entourage secured the entire building.

Trump visit to Israel

Big red signs lined King David Street, warning of closings.

By Tuesday,

Stairs in Yemin Moshe leading to Montefiore Windmill

only a bird could move freely around the area.

Now a beautiful, prosperous and popular neighborhood,

Mishkanot Shaananim Yemin Moshe Jerusalem Israel

from 1948-1967

Yemin Moshe – Mishkanot Sha’ananim, and the King David Hotel,

were on the border of No Man’s Land

and in the sights of Jordanian snipers.

Security from old days in Jerusalem, Israel

This bollard was left as an example of the old security measures.

Trump street closing.

For this presidential visit, metal barriers lined

the route of the motorcade.

Jerusalem Israel for Trump visit

It was a good week for the people who rent metal barriers

Trump visit to Jerusalem, Israel

and these fancier barriers too,

but many local businesses suffered from the street closures.

The first stop in Israel for the US Presidential visit

was at Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s residence.

Red carpet at Beit Hanasi for Trump

The red carpet was rolled out and covered to stay clean.

Trump visit to Jerusalem Israel

The media came early, and watched Air Force One

land in Ben Gurion Airport and waited.

Trump visit to Jerusalem Israel

I lost count of how many times the red carpet was cleaned.

Trump visit at Beit Hanasi

Here is the signing of the official guest book,

 the US delegation had not yet arrived.

But for the official speeches

Trump visit to Israel Ivanka and Jared Kushner

everyone was in their assigned seats.

Tree planted in garden of Beit Hanasi in honor of Trump visit to Jerusalem Israel

The Presidents and First Ladies went to the garden,

to see a tree planted in honor of the visit.

The ceremony was over,

and the Presidential motorcade sped off to the Kotel,

the Western Wall, for the next stop on a packed itinerary.

Security for Trump visit

Pedestrians were permitted to start walking.

But not even this official Israeli limo could leave until

 the buses blocking the roads were given permission to move.

Most of the US Presidential visit was live-streamed,

 so you can find it all on line.

For the grande finale,

after what seemed like dozens of Israeli police helicopters flying over,

Trump visit to Jerusalem, Israel

a military helicopter flight parade started,

Trump visit to Jerusalem, Israel

accompanying Marine One

Trump visit to Israel

and ending with more helicopters and flares.

I have not seen the official number of helicopters,

but they were noisy and flew in a long convoy over

Jerusalem, Israel, as they escorted the

US Presidential visitors away.

Jerusalem and Israel large flags on buildings

Now, back to flags

and Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day, and major celebrations

 marking 50 years after the Six-Day War victory

and the liberation of the Old City from Jordanian rule.

What a week to be on the Jerusalem streets!

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