From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Vance visits City of David National Park near Jerusalem’s Old City
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleNava Freiberg is The Times of Israel's deputy diplomatic correspondent.
US Vice President JD Vance visited the City of David National Park near Jerusalem’s Old City tonight, according to a spokesperson for the site.
Signing the guestbook at the park, Vance, who arrived in Israel this week to shore up Washington’s ceasefire plan in Gaza, wrote: “Thank you for preserving this place, a global heritage site for all the children of Abraham.”
During his visit, the vice president walked the entire length of the recently opened Pilgrimage Road — a newly excavated tunnel that foundation archaeologists say was used during the Second Temple period (516 BCE–70 CE) by Jewish pilgrims making their way to the Temple Mount, the holiest site for Jews.
Last month, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio participated in the opening ceremony of the road, alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.
Rubio’s participation drew attention to controversy over the site’s location in East Jerusalem’s Silwan neighborhood, amid reports at the time that the secretary was supportive of Israel annexing the West Bank in response to Western states recognizing a Palestinian state.
The visit underscored the Trump administration’s continued backing of initiatives viewed by critics as reinforcing Israel’s claims to East Jerusalem, which Palestinians regard as the capital of a future state.
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