Low-ranking Israeli officials crash Trump's welcome party
In a series of embarrassing incidents for Israel, several low-ranking officials managed to sneak into the VIP section to greet Trump despite not being authorized; Foreign Ministry describes scene as 'shameful and a disgrace.'
According to Foreign Ministry officials who organized the event, the most embarrassing incident occurred when Hazan sat in a chair reserved for Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law and senior advisor. Making matters worse, when ministry organizers asked Hazan to move, he refused.
In addition to Hazan's shenanigans, several mayors and politicos managed to infiltrate the area that was originally meant to be reserved only for senior Israeli government officials.
Foreign Ministry organizers described the scene as a "disgraceful, shameful, a sham and a fest for Likud politicos."
Originally, the Americans wanted a brief ceremony with three short speeches before President Trump would depart for Jerusalem, but at the last moment, the Americans relented to handshakes for assembled officials.
From there, everything went sideways.
Officials from the ruling Likud party, local mayors, parliamentary assistants, ministerial advisors and Knesset members began to infiltrate the area despite attempts by police to keep the area off-limits to unauthorized individuals.
In an attempt to explain how all the embarrassing incidents took place, the Foreign Ministry issued a statement, saying, "The ministry invited only senior officials to take part in the welcoming ceremony and shake hands. Unfortunately, a number of officials who were not included on the guest list 'infiltrated' the event despite repeated requests by Foreign Ministry staff to leave, which were refused."
In response, MK Hazan issued a statement, saying, "As someone who was the first to support Trump in Israel when everyone else disrespected him, it was important for me to come and pay my respects. To meet the man. We have a lot in common.
"At the start of the ceremony I entered the area where senior officials were sitting and it isn't true that I 'infiltrated.' It is absurd to attack me when ministerial assistants, drivers and others were let in—but not a Knesset member? They say that I shouldn't have sat there and that I shouldn't even be in the Knesset. Let them say what they want. I will continue to get the love of the people."
