While Trump’s newly chosen ambassador to Israel voices support for an Israeli presence in Judea and Samaria, the president-elect has in fact contributed financially to the Jewish community of Beit El.
US President-elect Donald Trump donated $10,000 to an Israeli community situated north of Jerusalem and near the Palestinian city of Ramallah 2003, his foundation’s tax form shows.
According to a tax filing, the Donald J. Trump Foundation made the donation to a US nonprofit group that raises funds for Beit El’s talmudic seminary and other activities in the community.
Trump’s pick for ambassador to Israel, prominent lawyer David Friedman, is the nonprofit’s president.
Beit El founder Yaakov Katz revealed Trump’s donation to Galei Israel Radio on Sunday.
“I’ll let you in on a little secret. When Friedman was our guest of honor years ago, the president-elect of the US sent us a donation of $10,000,” Katz said during the interview. “Except I didn’t know then that he would be president, otherwise I would have saved the check.”
He said the donation was used for the construction of a yeshiva in Beit El.
While several countries view Israel’s presence in Judea and Samaria is “an obstacle to peace,” an adviser to Trump has said that the president-elect does not see Israel communities in this region as an impediment to peace.
Trump’s transition team had no immediate comment.
During his campaign, Trump stated in May that Israel should move forward and continue building in Judea and Samaria, considering the current situation in the Middle East.
By: AP and United with Israel Staff
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Source: United with Israel
