Israeli President Isaac Herzog has called off a planned trip to New York next week where he had been scheduled to participate in a major rabbinical ordination ceremony, with his office saying the decision was tied to an intense international travel schedule and ongoing tensions in the region.

The event was scheduled for Tuesday at the Jewish Theological Seminary, the central rabbinical training institution of the Conservative movement.

Ynet reports that a source involved in preparations for the trip claimed the cancellation stemmed from concerns surrounding possible interactions with President Donald Trump connected to Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s reported pursuit of a pardon. Herzog’s office forcefully rejected the allegation.

According to the source, people close to Herzog worried Trump might attempt to pressure the Israeli president regarding a pardon for Netanyahu by arranging an unexpected meeting, delaying him, or otherwise placing him in an uncomfortable position during the visit.

The source said Herzog’s appearance at the New York ceremony had been planned roughly a year in advance. Officials in Herzog’s circle reportedly believed that a possible Independence Day visit by Trump to Israel could help improve relations between the two leaders. That trip, however, never materialized, leaving Herzog’s advisers weighing whether the New York visit should proceed.

The source further claimed that the final decision to cancel the trip was reached approximately one month ago and that Herzog recorded a video message for the ordination ceremony about three weeks ago.

Herzog’s office sharply denied the report and dismissed the claims outright.

“It never happened and was never created,” the President’s Residence said in a statement. “Anyone publishing this is spreading a lie and risks defamation.”

The statement added that journalists had already been informed weeks ago — around the time the invitation became public — that Herzog would not be attending the ceremony.

“The report is so wrong that it completely ignores the fact that the president is expected to travel to visit communities in the United States in the coming months,” the statement said. “Due to the heavy travel schedule and in light of the sensitive situation in the region, it was decided to decline the invitation.”

Officials also pointed to Herzog’s recent diplomatic trips to Kazakhstan, Panama, and Costa Rica as factors that contributed to the decision to remain in Israel rather than make the additional journey to New York.

{Matzav.com}