US officials hold meeting with Israeli counterparts in settler-run ‘City of David’

Top US officials held a meeting on Tuesday with their Israeli counterparts at a notorious settler-run site in occupied East Jerusalem, reported the Jerusalem Post.

The “City of David”-hosted working dinner was attended by US National Security Advisor John Bolton, US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, Israel’s National Security Advisor Meir Ben Shabbat, and Israel’s Ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer, along with other senior administration staff.

The “City of David” has been designated a national park by Israeli authorities, but it has played a crucial role in the colonisation of Silwan, a Palestinian neighbourhood of occupied East Jerusalem. The site is managed by Elad, a right-wing organisation focused on settlement activity.

“We are delighted to announce that yesterday evening, August 21 2018, a historic working dinner for senior United States and Israeli officials was hosted in the City of David, archeological site of ancient Jerusalem,” an official statement about the meeting read.

The visit, described by the paper as “historic”, was heralded by the City of David Foundation, whose vice president Doron Spielman declared it an honour “to host this distinguished delegation”.

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