US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman was “experiencing mild upper-respiratory symptoms” ahead of the visit of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Israel on Wednesday, an embassy spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that Friedman was tested for the coronavirus and the result was negative. However, the US State Department medical staff recommended that Friedman avoid being in close proximity with Pompeo out of “an abundance of caution.”

Fortunately, as seen by the picture below, Friedman felt well enough to celebrate Lag B’Omer on Tuesday night, in accordance with social distancing regulations of course.

Barbecue fire this year to comply with local rules. As Lag Ba’omer observed the end of the plague that struck the students of Rabbi Akiva, let’s pray for an end to the COVID-19 plague as well. pic.twitter.com/GPIbmELwrQ

— Ambassador Jack Lew (@USAmbIsrael) May 11, 2020

Pompeo, wearing a red, white and blue face mask, landed in Israel at about 8 a.m. for a whirlwind one-day visit for talks with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz regarding Trump’s Deal of the Century peace plan.

Amb. Friedman’s senior aide, Aryeh Lightstone, welcomed Pompeo to Israel instead of the ambassador.

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פומפאו מציג: מסיכה מדוגמת פטריוטית pic.twitter.com/DDlhSBEJR7

— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) May 13, 2020

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)