US Embassy in Saudi Arabia removes Israel from Trump itinerary

The State Department produced a video promoting the trip, but the embassy in Riyadh released a version that makes no mention of his stop in Israel.

By MICHAEL WILNER
Updated: MAY 9, 2017 11:41
US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One (photo credit: REUTERS)
US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One
(photo credit: REUTERS)
WASHINGTON -- A prominent congressman accused the US State Department on Monday of conforming to Saudi Arabia's "rejectionist" public approach to Israel, after the US embassy in Riyadh appeared to edit out of a promotional video mention of US President Donald Trump's visit to both nations this month.
Trump announced last week that Riyadh, Jerusalem and Rome would be his first stops abroad as president— an homage to the world's three major monotheistic religions. The State Department produced a video promoting the trip, but the embassy in Riyadh released a version that makes no mention of his stop in Israel.
"This video plays into a rejectionist narrative and thus has no place in any social media— or any other form of communication— associated with the United States government," Rep. Eliot Engel, a Democrat from New York, wrote US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
The shorter video has since been removed from the embassy website. The full version remains available online.