Leftist and Arab MKs on Thursday celebrated the announcement that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was postponing his visit to Israel.
Trump, who had said earlier this week that he “couldn't wait” to meet Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, said in a tweet that he had “decided to postpone my trip to Israel and to schedule my meeting with @Netanyahu at a later date after I become President of the US.”
Trump announced he would visit Israel last week, in a speech to Jewish members of the Republican party in Manassas, Virginia.
The announcement sparked a furor in Israel, especially after his comments several days ago that Muslims should be banned from entering the U.S.
On Thursday, the Mks who had opposed Trump's visit – many of them Arab MKs – celebrated. MK Issawi Frej (Meretz) said that he was “very happy” over Trump's announcement. “
"Trump is not just a racist, but a man who poses a threat to the free world," said Frej. "He is a man who is using racism to become President of the United States, a man who owes his public image to racism. Israel cannot allow him to enter the country, much less meet with the Prime Minister.”
MK Michal Rozin (Meretz) called the cancellation “a great victory. Trump got the message that Israel has no room for racists. This is a victory for democracy in Israel, and a slap in the face to the decision by the Prime Minister to meet with Trump and ignore these values.”