Israeli PM to meet US presidential hopeful Donald Trump

The controversial hopeful for the U.S. presidency, Donald Trump, will be meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem this month, local media reported Wednesday. 

Israeli newspaper Times of Israel reported that Netanyahu set the Dec. 28 meet despite Israeli lawmakers pushing against the visit, accusing Trump of racism.  

The newspaper quoted a source close to the prime minister saying the meet was scheduled weeks ago, before Trump this week called for a ban on Muslims entering the U.S.

Trump has become a frontrunner in the race to be the right-wing Republican party's candidate in the 2016 election, with a campaign littered with provocative statements, often about migrants from neighboring Mexico and refugees from Syria or other Muslim countries. 

On Monday he sparked outrage by saying Muslims should be banned from entering the U.S., with the White House responding that his comments could disqualify him from serving as president as they contradicted the oath to protect the consitution. 

Jewish organizations in the U.S. also slammed Trump's comments, including the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which was founded to combat anti-Semitism. 

"Mr. Trump’s plan to bar people from entry to the United States based on their religion is unacceptable and antithetical to American values. The U.S. was founded as a place of refuge for those fleeing religious persecution, and religious pluralism is core to our national identity," the ADL said in a statement. 

"In the Jewish community, we know all too well what can happen when a particular religious group is singled out for stereotyping and scapegoating."