WEST PALM BEACH — Sparse groups of supporters sporting campaign colors and bearing an occasional Israel flag lined Southern Boulevard along the route to Mar-a-Lago Friday morning ahead of a highly anticipated meeting between Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
A group of about 50 pro-Palestinian demonstrators lined the sidewalk along the bridge between West Palm Beach and Palm Beach, marching with flags and chanting as the motorcade sped by just before noon on its way to Mar-a-Lago. A group of about a dozen Trump and pro-Israel supporters gathered on the opposite side of the road.
Tensions increased for about 20-30 minutes after the motorcade moved through, with one Trump supporter crossing the road, using foul language in an attempt to incite the crowd. Police told him to return to the opposite side of the road. But demonstrators and supporters continued to shout at each other from their opposing sides of the street.
Yaron Shwartz who is originally from Jerusalem, arrived at the small parking lot at the foot of the bridge near Mar-a-Lago before the sun was up, leaving his home in Miami about 5 a.m. He hoisted a a cross-shaped pole with a T-shirt that read “Bring me home please,” an homage to the hostages held captive as a result of the war in Gaza.
Life after Oct. 7 when the war began will never be the same, Shwartz said.
“It’s a tragedy for both sides,” he said.
Cindy Falco-DiCorrado, who held a pro-Israel sign, said she was there to express support for former president Trump and “BiBi,” which is a nickname for Netanyahu.
Trump “is still trying to protect us,” she said. “So I come out to say ‘President Trump, we’re still with you.’”
She also said Netanyahu has people who stand with him “no matter what the naysayers say.”
After the motorcade, pro-Palestinian protesters chanted out accusations about Netanyahu being a “war criminal.”
“Netanyahu you can’t hide, you brought human genocide!” protestors chanted, led by a woman with a megaphone.
Further west, away from the Intracoastal bridge, the law enforcement presence seemed to outnumber the people who had gathered on Southern Boulevard between Parker and Lake avenues. A Broward County resident wearing a yarmulke, who wouldn’t identify himself, said he came because he supports Netanyahu and Israel, but not Trump.
A few segments of security vehicles passed through before the motorcade carrying Netanyahu arrived about 11:45 a.m., and the morning remained relatively uneventful. Traffic resumed by noon, but police returned to start barracading streets again shortly after 1 p.m.
Residents and workers in the area expressed frustration at the barriers and traffic shutdowns at lunchtime. A worker from a nearby business spent 15 or 20 minutes trying to cross Southern Boulevard on foot to pick up a sandwich he had ordered from a nearby Subway store. “I’m taking the loss,” the unidentified man finally said as he abandoned the effort. “It’s a power move to not want to see him (Netanyahu).”
West Palm Beach residents were alerted to prepare for periodic road closures from mid-morning to mid-afternoon Friday. The meeting between Trump and Netanyahu is expected to last several hours.
A day earlier, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw had vowed that his law enforcement agency was “on top of the ball game, and things will go very smooth” when the ex-president meets with the leader of Israel.
On Wednesday, thousands of protesters against the war in Gaza converged on Washington to condemn Netanyahu’s visit, chanting “Free, free Palestine” as they marched toward the Capitol before police deployed pepper spray on some in the crowd, The Associated Press reported.
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