US President Donald Trump his wife Melania walk up the steps to Air Force One ahead of their departure from Israel at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv on May 23, 2017 (Miriam Alster/Flash90)
Wrapping up a short but intense 28-hour visit to Israel and the West Bank, US President Donald Trump boarded Air Force One just after 4 p.m. Tuesday and departed the Middle East for the next stop in his first foreign trip — Italy.
During his brief stay the US leader met with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, visited Christian and Jewish holy sites in Jerusalem, paid respects at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum and made an optimistic — yet somewhat vague — Mideast peace speech at the Israel Museum.
Before boarding he and the First Lady Melania embraced Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara at Ben Gurion Airport. And just as swiftly as they had arrived, they were gone.
After Israel and the Palestinian territories, Trump heads to the Vatican to meet Pope Francis. He will then go on to Brussels and then Italy again, for NATO and G7 meetings.
As he departed, Trump tweeted that his visit to the Middle East was “great,” and that he was “trying hard for peace.” He added that all civilized nations should “join together to protect human life,” a likely reference to the Manchester terror attack.
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Below are some choice photos from the president’s final moments in the Holy Land.
US President Donald Trump arrives at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv ahead of his departure on Air Force One on May 23, 2017 (Miriam Alster/Flash90)Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) and US President Donald Trump speak at Ben Gurion International Airport prior to the latter’s departure from Israel on May 23, 2017. (Koby Gideon/GPO)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) and US President Donald Trump seen at Ben Gurion International Airport prior to the latter’s departure from Israel on May 23, 2017. (Koby Gideon/GPO)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) and US President Donald Trump seen at Ben Gurion International Airport prior to the latter’s departure from Israel on May 23, 2017. (Koby Gideon/GPO)
First Lady Melania Trump and Sara Netanyahu embrace at Ben Gurion International Airport prior to US President Donald Trump’s departure from Israel on May 23, 2017. (Koby Gideon/GPO)
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US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman (2nd-L), President Reuven Rivlin (3rd-L), First Lady Melania Trump (C-L), US President Donald Trump (C-R), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (3rd-R) and Sara Netanyahu (2nd-R) seen at Ben Gurion International Airport during a ceremony marking American president’s departure from Israel on May 23, 2017. (Koby Gideon/GPO)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) and US President Donald Trump shake hands at Ben Gurion International Airport prior to the latter’s departure from Israel on May 23, 2017. (Koby Gideon/GPO)
US President Donald Trump (R) and First Lady Melania Trump wave goodbye from Air Force One at Ben Gurion International Airport on May 23, 2017. (AFP Photo/Jack Guez)
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