Mayor Lion: I’m glad Biden is visiting East Jerusalem, but I wanted to join him

Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion says he is glad that US President Joe Biden will be visiting the eastern part of the capital during his visit, but that he wanted to join him.

“I’m very happy that Biden is visiting both the west and east of the city,” Lion tells Army Radio. “It’s his full right to hold a private visit, although I have to say that I really wanted to join him.”

The Times of Israel previously reported that the US was not allowing any Israeli officials to join Biden during his time in East Jerusalem, which many Palestinians view as the future capital of a Palestinian state. On Friday Biden is scheduled to visit the Augusta Victoria Hospital on the Mount of Olives and announce US funding for East Jerusalem hospitals.

“It’s sad that the US has to fund hospitals in the east of the city, because that’s the job of the state [of Israel],” Lion tells Kan radio. “I would expect the Health Ministry to give more support to these hospitals.”