Trump Cancels Visit to Ancient Masada Site after Israel Refuses Helicopter Landing

[DonViejo]

Source: Newsweek



BY JACK MOORE ON 5/18/17 AT 7:05 AM

President Donald Trump has canceled a planned visit and speech at the ancient mountain fortress of Masada in Israel after authorities told him that he could not land his helicopter on top of the UNESCO-listed site.

Instead, Trump will now deliver a speech at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. It comes after an Israeli Air Force (IAF) regulation that prevents helicopters landing at the summit of the Masada site, according to Israel’s Channel 2 broadcaster.

Unlike former presidents who have made the trip, such as George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, Trump declined to land the helicopter at a base of the historic site and then take the cable car up, preferring to cancel the visit altogether.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined to comment, referring any matters involving Trump’s schedule to the U.S. government. The Israeli Foreign Ministry also declined to comment on Trump’s schedule.



Read more: http://www.newsweek.com/trump-cancels-visit-ancient-masada-site-after-israel-blocks-helicopter-landing-611287

[turbinetree]

1. Did he throw a temper tantrum---------------apparently so, when they said NO

What a jerk...................he really is sexual predator jerk

[Mrs. Overall]

2. If he is afraid of stairs, he's probably terrified of the cable car that goes up the mountain.

[forgotmylogin]

15. Nah, a cable car, like a helicopter, is "sit back and relax."

He's afraid of stairs cause he's 70 and unsure of his "limited exercise mana." I'd guess he wouldn't like being surrounded by the public in a tourist area. Surely they would have given him a private cable car for himself and his staff.

The other Presidents probably enjoyed the scenic ride! If he can ride in a helicopter (which I can confirm is terrifying to anyone who has trouble with planes or unsteady heights), he's got to be okay with a cable car.

And I can understand that they wouldn't want to take chances landing a helicopter in the wind up there, especially near strung cables.





Oof. I'd be nervous, but what a view of the Dead Sea!

My guess that cable car takes 20-30 minutes each way which would take a whole hour out of 45's itinerary, and Trump just wanted to get in and out without spending the length of downtime the cable car would require. I suspect he gets really bored easily and doesn't appreciate unfamiliar surroundings or transport for any length of time.

[leftynyc]

38. Nothing to do with wind

Everything to do with it being (the entire mesa) an archeological site.

[forgotmylogin]

45. That totally makes sense!

[d_r]

51. fwiw that looks amazing

I'd love to make that trip

[muriel_volestrangler]

53. It'll take under 5 minutes

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masada_cableway

900m long (height gain 290m), top speed 28.8 km/h. At that speed it'd take under 2 minutes; with speeding up and slowing down, it should still be under 5. Even with getting to and from the terminus and where a helicopter lands, probably just a total of 20 minutes.

I think he may really be scared of it. Has he been in one before? He doesn't look like the skiing type (he avoids all exercise). He's not one to appreciate a natural view, either. He may have a fear of modes of transport he hasn't done before. Or ones that the public use as well.

[karynnj]

23. I suspect it is more anger at being told "NO"

I've been to Masada -- I think almost the entire top is archeological ruins. When we went, we did not take the cable car up, but climbed up starting at about 4 am at the advice of our wonderful tour guide. It was August and very hot, so she suggested going that early to both see the sun rise over Massada and avoid the heat and to have more time at the Dead Sea. Going down was not scary in the least even though I have some fear of heights.

[leftynyc]

39. I hiked the Snake Path

in my 20s - same as you, August, crazy early in the morning, for the sunrise. Did the cable car last year. You are 100% correct, the entire mesa is an archeological site.

[Lochloosa]

3. Afraid of stairs. Now cable cars? Fear of heights maybe?

[BumRushDaShow]

16. He lived for decades on the 56th (and higher) floor of his NYC Tower. nt

[uppityperson]

28. But all the windows are actually one way glass so he'd never have to look out, only at his

own reflection.

I think I made that up.

[BumRushDaShow]

37. LOL

That might have broken the glass and they'd all get sucked out when the pressure destabilized.

[neeksgeek]

4. Has His Supreme Tonedeafness Tweeted about it yet?

Perhaps a misspelled diatribe about "unfair" he's being treated?

[IronLionZion]

5. Why is he so scared?

He doesn't trust himself not to fall out of the cable car?

[brush]

6. He's already created an international incident and he has even left yet.

[neeksgeek]

8. He's basically a walking, talking international incident.

Sorta like Pigpen in classic Peanuts: diplomatic disaster just sorta sloughs off his clothes.

[marybourg]

13. without the "walking".

[neeksgeek]

14. Well, he does walk. A little. More of a waddle, I suppose....

Sudden flashback of Dune's Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. Must... resist... urge... to Google... that!

[Bayard]

26. I've been thinking that for awhile now!

The orange hair, the bloat, the lasciviousness, the preference for floating around.....

[brush]

22. Heeheehee! Yep!

[C_U_L8R]

7. Talk about a showboater

Poor little snowflake gonna melt in the hot Masada sun.

[Freethinker65]

9. So what other events will he find an excuse to cancel?

Probably concerned about getting too much exercise...
That and bad optics with the cable car.

[Ilsa]

10. What a weenie.

Look, I'm not fond of heights of cable cars, either. I suspect a helo ride would bother me more. But I've done a high cable car. You suck it up, overcome your anxiety, and do what is required of you. Trump isn't capable of mastering his emotions; he's unfit.

[barbtries]

11. he's infantile

i know this isn't news but when i read shit like this i just have to comment.
i'm chuckling but what an unrelenting shame to the USA this man is.

[DK504]

12. I just heard about this.

His refusal to understand or even get history lessons about the 5,000 years of history of the region really is stunning.

[DinahMoeHum]

17. Might as well not go, anyway. AFAIC. . .

. . .he's an "accident" waiting to happen. . .

Lawd only knows how much he's pissed off Mossad and the Israelis in general.

[brush]

24. Yeah, this on top of his already having revealed their intel with the Russkies.

He should be real popular in Israel right about now, having probably endangered the life of one of their agents who had worked his/her way into ISIS somehow.

Wonder what Bibi thinks of him now, he was such of fan of his?

[onetexan]

18. could be payback from the Israelis for leaking classified intel they shared

serves him right

[karynnj]

30. Not at all - Masada is a UNESCO heritage site filled with archaeological ruins

It is an important place in Israeli history as well as ancient history. In Ari Shavit's book, he writes of how Jewish settlers pre 1947 who were became part of Israel's defense in 1948 were taken there.

I suspect that the earlier story that the Trump people planning the trip turning down Israeli help for planning a visit to the Western Wall and having Netanyahu accompany him - because it is "part of the West Bank" and not Israel.

[leftynyc]

41. To this day

The most elite of their military get sworn in on Masada. It's an extremely important site for Jews and Jewish history. It was the very last site to fall before the Romans took over

[karynnj]

44. I didn't know they still swear in the military there.

The symbolism of swearing in the military which protects them at the last stronghold against the Romans, where the defenders committed suicide rather than surrender is very powerful.

[leftynyc]

50. Yes, it is

When I heard he was scheduled to speak from there, I came very close to actually throwing up. And one small but important point, only one person bore the burden of suicide - it was a mass killing (the difference being the same as thou shall not kill versus thou shall not murder), not a mass suicide.

[EllieBC]

49. B'nai mitzvah at Masada are huge too!

When I was there in 03 there were some IDF being sworn in there. And our guide told us its very popular for bar and bas mitzvah kids too.

[0rganism]

19. no dramatic entry? no golf course? fuck it

might as well cancel the whole trip, right?

[sdfernando]

20. Quick, someone tell Queen Elizabeth that this is how it is done.

Refuse the carriage ride, and the orange one will cancel the trip! Easy Peasy!

[brooklynite]

21. Maybe they could offer to carry him up in a sedan chair...

...as befits his august status.

[brush]

25. Gonna need more than four carriers for your know who. Maybe an aircraft carrier.

[maddiemom]

33. My exact, same thought! You beat me to it.

[Vinca]

27. In all fairness, a cable car can only take so much weight.

[dalton99a]

43. +1

[Bayard]

29. Always looking for the rock start entrance

Like wanting the royal golden carriage in London. The ego is YUUUGE, and requires continual stroking. Is he visiting Egypt while he's over there? Maybe he could land on top of a Pyramid.

[riversedge]

32. Trumps gold cart would not make the climb. Nice pics at link in OP

[bathroommonkey76]

55. Like the time he

was rocking on the escalator in Trump Tower?? LOL Every rock star was jealous after this: LOL

[haele]

31. So, he wanted to make a grand entrance on top of an archeological/Heritage site.

It would have been beautiful, right - to watch him land on the top of the plateau where the Israelites held of the Romans for so long - the symbolism would have been terrific in his mind.
A great segue into some blathering..."stirring speech" about how he can hold out and will never be defeated by his enemies because he's righteous, or something like that. At least, that's how Miller would spin it to him.
Baby God-Emperor, he is. So of course, he'd throw a tantrum and refuse to go if he doesn't get his way.
Haele

[DFW]

34. Trump wanted to land is helicopter ON MASADA?

What does he want to do next, visit the Grand Mosque at Mecca and have a pork barbecue?

[former9thward]

46. Your attempt at a religius analogy does not get too far.

There is nothing that offends the Jewish religion about a helo going on Masada. It is banned for safety reasons because of the wind and many cables in the area.

[DFW]

52. I was thinking in terms of offending the sensibilities of the locals

Not the purely "religius" aspects.

[Xipe Totec]

35. Frees up his schedule for a visit to Salem, MA.

To lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknown witches.

[benpollard]

36. He was planning on giving a speech about how badly he's been treated in America

"No one has ever been treated as badly as I have" was his topic to the Jews of Israel.

[Beacool]

40. Let me guess, the speech will be all about himself.

Just like his speech to the Coast Guard graduates. We have an imbecile as president.

[left-of-center2012]

42. First the Queen won't let him use her horse drawn carriage

Now the Israelis say no to a helicopter to Masada.

Don't they know who Donald is?

[Blue_Tires]

47. Be proud of your lazy-assed cowardly president, America...

[bikebloke]

48. I've walked up the Snake Trail a couple times.

Took the cable car down. I bet he doesn't want to ride in a cable car used by lowly commoners. His throne wouldn't even fit through the door.

But it is an archealogical site. A helicopter would damage it.

[Alice11111]

54. This is just the beginning of the insults he will deliver

to our allies on this trip. At least, Clinton and GWB, rode the cable car. DT is going out of his way not to let them show him their places of pride and participate as they do.
Hey, Prez, this is part of your job. (We don't have a royal family to do some of this...plus, don't you have any curiosity? You don't have to study up, like anyone else would do. Just listen.)

It's like he is accentuating the "Ugly American" stereotype, who expects to go to a foreign country, and be treated differently than the locals, like he is still in America and calling the shots about how things are done. Not to mention, he is telling them, I don't give a shit about your history.

You would think Melania would want to go on this trip...maybe even have Barron miss a week of school...once in a lifetime opportunity. I'm sure the hosts would provide her with separate quarters.

[Cha]

56. Lucky them.

[alphafemale]

57. I suspect he has no idea of the significance of the site.

I am glad he didn't spew his verbal filth there.