Kiryat Yam Mayor David Even Tzur received a letter from the White House this week, thanking him after learning the mayor had decided to name a new park under construction in the city for him.
“Thank you for this great honor,” wrote President Donald Trump. “It was a distinct pleasure to visit Israel during my first international trip as President of the United States . . . I am thankful for your gesture and am moved to know that the people of Israel are encouraged by my decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.” He called Israel “one of our most steadfast allies and an oasis of hope, democracy and prosperity in the Middle East.”
The mayor had announced on Dec. 7 he was naming the park for President Trump to honor his decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. “The president of the United States took a brave and unprecedented step that none of his predecessors were willing to take and we must honor him for it,” Tzur said at the time. “Jerusalem is a dream that is present in every Jew’s heart and Trump’s decision gives this dream clear international recognition.”
The park, which is to stretch over some 1.7 acres, is slated to be the biggest ecological site in the area, at a cost of approximately NIS 4 million, or $1.14 million.