(JTA) — An Israel advocacy group has relocated a charity event to President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida to thank him for his support of Israel.
The Truth About Israel moved its Feb. 25 benefit from a nearby resort after several charities canceled planned galas at Mar-a-Lago, The Associated Press reported.
American Friends of Magen David Adom was among the nine groups that canceled in August.
Steven Alembik, who is organizing the Truth About Israel event, told AP that he moved his benefit because the other groups canceled.
“The president has Israel’s back like no other president since the days of Ronald Reagan,” Alembik said. “He supports Israel, we support him. It’s that simple.”
He told AP that he sold out all 700 tickets for the event at a cost of $750 each.
Some of the groups that canceled their events cited Trump’s response to the far-right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, as the reason for canceling. In other cases, groups said the venue was detracting from the message of their events.
Founded by Danny Ayalon, a former Israeli ambassador to the United States, Truth About Israel among other things produces short videos defending Israeli policies and countering incitement.
