Israel prepares to receive Trump for 'shortest presidential visit in history'

In one of the shortest presidential visits to Israel in history, U.S. President Donald Trump will arrive in the Jewish state Monday morning on what is a significant day for Israelis – it is the eve of Simchat Torah, the same day on the Jewish calendar of the Hamas-led massacre on southern Israeli communities that occurred on Oct. 7, 2023.  

Trump is set to be in Israel for a total of just three hours and 40 minutes.

According to the schedule, Air Force One will land at Ben Gurion Airport at 9:20 a.m. Trump is slated to deliver a speech at the Knesset at 11:00 a.m., before departing for Egypt shortly thereafter to meet with global leaders from about 20 countries.

Due to the brief nature of Trump's visit to Israel, the arrival ceremony at Ben Gurion will be minimal: no speeches, no national anthems – just a red-carpet welcome with flag bearers, honorary salutes, and handshakes. No ministers or full senior delegation will be in attendance.

From Ben Gurion Airport, Trump will head directly to the Knesset in his well-known "Beast" limousine, traveling along Highway 1 – the primary road connecting Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, which will be entirely closed to traffic in both directions for the occasion.

Ahead of the visit, the U.S. military transported heavy equipment including – the presidential limousine and accompanying vehicles – via cargo plane.

Trump is set to arrive at the Knesset at 10:10 a.m., entering through the entrance designated for Knesset members and signing the visitors’ book in the main lobby. He will then hold a meeting with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog in the prime minister’s office within the Knesset. Following that, the three leaders will meet with families of hostages in the Chagall State Hall, located next to the plenary chamber in the Knesset compound.

Officials explored the possibility of Trump meeting with the hostages set to be released, but it was made clear that this would not be feasible for medical reasons – primarily due to their physical and emotional states.

At 11:00 a.m., the U.S. president is scheduled to deliver an address to the Knesset plenum. From there, he is expected to head directly to Ben Gurion Airport, likely skipping a scheduled stop at the King David Hotel, where two entire floors had been reserved for him. He is also unlikely to visit the Western Wall. However, the schedule remains subject to change, with final details expected to be confirmed only by Sunday (today).

Trump is slated to depart from the airport at 1:00 p.m. for Egypt, where he will take part in a historic summit hosted by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The summit will include Arab and European leaders and will focus on the post-war future of the Gaza Strip. Notably, Israel was not invited to the event, which will feature a symbolic signing of an agreement aimed at formally ending the conflict. Among the European leaders expected to attend are French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

In the meantime, the Israel Airports Authority (IAA) is preparing for Trump’s visit and is advising travelers scheduled to fly on Monday to use Israel Railways to reach Ben Gurion Airport.

Significant traffic disruptions are anticipated on roads leading to the airport between 6:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. due to heightened security measures. Train services will be increased throughout the day to accommodate the expected demand.

Ynet News reported that the IAA is also advising travelers to arrive at Ben Gurion Airport at least four hours before their scheduled flight, plan their travel route ahead of time, and stay updated by following airline instructions, timetables, and official announcements on the IAA website and in the media.

All international flights originally scheduled to depart from Terminal 1 between 8:00 a.m. and the end of the day will instead depart from Terminal 3. Flights to and from Ramon Airport in Eilat are also expected to face significant changes, including possible cancellations.

Additionally, taxi and shuttle services to and from the airport will be suspended on Monday from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. due to road closures. The IAA stated it is "working to minimize disruptions to flight schedules and passenger services, but some delays and interruptions may occur. Public cooperation and patience are appreciated on this historic day."