President’s Residence Prepares For Largest Diplomatic Reception In Israeli History

President Reuven Rivlin’s Residence is preparing to host a state dinner for dozens of world leaders who arrived in Israel for the World Holocaust Forum on Thursday.

The delegations, who are all being greeted at the airport by Foreign Ministry officials and blue and white flower bouquets are being secured by 10,000 police officers.

Some of the presidents went straight to the President’s Residence for meetings with Rivlin.

Most of the leaders will gather at the President’s Residence on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Each leader was asked to bring only one guest due to lack of space and no spouses are allowed.

Preparations for the dinner, which will be broadcast live, included the purchase of 240 pieces of furniture 150 beams and 400 square meters of flooring.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US Vice President Mike Pence will not be present at the state dinner because they are arriving in Israel on Thursday morning. Instead, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Jared Kushner will represent the US.

I welcome the leaders from around the world who are coming here, to Jerusalem, to mark with us 75 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz extermination camp.
It is important that they remember where we came from, and it is important that they see what we have achieved. pic.twitter.com/8kX9ubTejO

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 21, 2020