As Jerusalem municipality employees are busy hanging American flags around the capital, the motorcade accompanying US Secretary of State John Kerry made its way to the capital.

Kerry’s plane touched down in Ben-Gurion International Airport late Tuesday afternoon, 8 Nissan 5773, and the closure of the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv Highway in both directions between the airport and the capital have motorists a taste of what is to be expected in the coming days, during the visit of President Barak Obama.

Kerry, who replaced Secretary Hillary Clinton, is in Israel for his first official visit in his new post, explaining he is here to “listen” and not to give directives.

With the arrival of the presidential entourage on Wednesday 9 Nissan 5773, the highway from the airport to the capital will be closed, as areas of the capital will be intermittently shut to accommodate the presidential motorcade. While Kerry’s motorcade was a modest one, under 20 vehicles, the presidential entourage will include about 80 vehicles. Areas of the capital including King David Street where there president will be staying will be closed during his entire visit, a sterile area around the King David Hotel. A triangular area between King David Street, the Prime Minister’s Residence and portions of Rechavia will be included in the secure area during the visit, closed to all non-residents.

Closure in the area of the Givat Ram Hebrew University heliport will also contribute significantly to traffic delays in the center of town. Jerusalemites have been informed that despite the need for Pesach shopping and arrangements, portions of the capital will be locked down during the presidential visit, which ends on erev Shabbos.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)