Ahead of President Joe Biden's visit to the President's Residence in Jerusalem this Thursday as part of his state visit to Israel, the President's Residence is undergoing a facelift.
Numerous members of staff, including technicians, painters, and stage managers, have been working hard over the past few days on the appearance of the President's Residence, which will soon host the President of the United States with full pomp and circumstance.
Preparations at the President's Residence are in full swing, with diligent preparations from morning to night to ensure that President Biden's visit will be a roaring success.
U.S. and Israeli flags have been ironed and displayed around the residence, a long red carpet has been rolled out along the presidents' route, a large tent has been erected for media teams in the gardens, a huge stage has been built from scratch in the middle of the plaza, special lighting rigs have been installed, and flower displays in the colors of the Star-Spangled Banner have been put out in honor of the occasion.
Eyal Shviki, Director-General of the Office of the President, said ahead of President Biden's arrival: "We are looking forward to President Biden's visit to Israel with excitement. The U.S. President's visit to the Middle East begins in Israel. That is an important statement, which I am sure will be reflected in the rest of his trip. There is a huge amount of excitement in the President's Residence, and there are many preparations underway ahead of the festive ceremony on Thursday."
"At the ceremony, President Herzog will award President Biden the Presidential Medal of Honor—the highest honor that an Israeli president can bestow. In the past, the medal has been awarded to major international figures and people who have made a mighty contribution to the State of Israel and the Jewish People. President Biden is a true friend of the State of Israel, and his contributions to Israel's security have been immense."