US Republican mega-donor and hard-line Zionist Sheldon Adelson is arranging for presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump to visit Israel before July convention, sources say.
According to sources close to Adelson, the multimillionaire, who is a top donor to the US Republican Party, has promoted the trip to Israel as being advantageous for Trump.
“I’m sure Sheldon suggested the trip,” one of the sources was quoted as saying.
Last week, Adelson indicated that he would contribute over $100 million to Trump's campaign and in an interview with the Israel Hayom newspaper, Trump stated that he is planning to travel to Israel.
“I will be coming [to Israel] soon,” Trump said.
The real estate mogul postponed a planned trip to Israel in December, after Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister distanced himself from Trump’s proposal to bar all Muslims from entering the US.
Adelson, the CEO of the Las Vegas Sands casino group, was listed by Forbes in June 2015 as having a fortune of $28 billion, making him the 18th richest person in the world.
He is a major contributor to Republican Party candidates, which has resulted in his gaining significant influence within the party.
In a Washington Post article last week, the multi-billionaire wrote that Trump “exemplifies the American spirit of determination, commitment to cause and business stewardship.”
“You may not like Trump’s style or what he says on Twitter, but this country needs strong executive leadership more today than at almost any point in its history,” he wrote.
Adelson, a Zionist Jew, has said his most important issue when considering which candidates to support in US elections is “the safety of Israel.”
Adelson had previously expressed interest in Florida Senator Marco Rubio and his wife Miriam liked Texas Senator Ted Cruz.
But after Trump's commanding victory in Indiana's primary earlier this month, his remaining challengers, Cruz and John Kasich, both suspended their presidential bids, leaving the businessman tycoon on an uncontested path to the Republican nomination.
Rubio dropped out of the presidential race in March after losing the Florida primary to Trump and failing to unite the Republican establishment against the billionaire businessman.
Trump’s campaign has been marked by controversial statements, including with disparaging remarks about Mexican immigrants and Muslims.