Trump to Visit Israel in December as Controversy Rages over Proposed Ban on Muslims

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Photo: Associated Press/Mic Smith

After calling for a sweeping temporary ban on all Muslims trying to enter the US, 2016 presidential candidate Donald Trump has angered many including in the Middle East where he is expected to visit Israel later this month.

Donald Trump’s call to keep Muslims from traveling to the United States is causing dismay among business leaders in the Middle East, where the billionaire presidential candidate has done business for years, a region viewed as well-suited for his brand of over-the-top luxury.

Trump announced Tuesday he intends to visit Israel in the coming weeks, and his announcement has already generated a stir among Israel’s Arabs and left-wing lawmakers.

Emirati business magnate Khalaf al-Habtoor only months ago proclaimed his support for the Republican candidate for president, but that’s all changed in the wake of Trump’s increasingly incendiary comments about Islam.

“If he comes to my office, I will not let him in. I reject him,” al-Habtoor told the Associated Press. “Maybe we can meet somewhere where I can debate with him in a very civilized way, not in the way he approaches people.”

AP and World Israel News Staff

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