Trump to postpone Israel trip until 'after becoming president of the US'

Decision comes after Israel's Netanyahu cancelled plans to meet the Republican presidential contender

WASHINGTON: US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Thursday postponed his trip to Israel amid a controversy over comments about temporarily barring Muslims from entering the United States.

Trump announced the decision in a post on his Twitter feed and said he would meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "at a later date after I become president of the US"

The decision comes just days after Trump provoked an international controversy by calling for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States, remarks that sparked calls in Israel for Netanyahu to cancel plans to meet the Republican presidential contender.



Netanyahu’s statement had said, “The State of Israel respects all religions and strictly guarantees the rights of all its citizens.”

“At the same time, Israel is fighting against militant Islam that targets Muslims, Christians and Jews alike and threatens the entire world,” he added.

Trump’s comments have led to harsh criticism both at home and worldwide, with White House spokesperson Josh Earnest saying they disqualified him from becoming president.



Elsewhere in the Middle East, a leading Gulf retailer has stopped selling products from the brand owned by Trump.

Trump, 69, made his proposal after a Muslim couple, one of whom was an immigrant from Pakistan, massacred 14 people in California.

He urged a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.”