Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will postpone his trip to Israel and reschedule his meeting with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu planned for December 28.

“I have decided to postpone my trip to Israel and to schedule my meeting with @Netanyahu at a later date after I become President of the US,” Trump tweeted.

Trump announced he would visit Israel last week, in a speech to Jewish members of the Republican party in Manassas, Virginia.

He has since sparked controversy at home and abroad for calling to bar Muslims from entering the United States, with Arab MKs in Israel urging to ban Trump from visiting the country. 

The Prime Minister’s Office said despite the controversy and its rejection of Trump’s remarks, it would still meet with the presidential hopeful as scheduled.  

In response, 37 Knesset members signed a letter demanding that Netanyahu condemn Trump’s “racist” remarks and cancel the meeting.

US presidential candidates often visit Israel while campaigning as part of efforts to shore up their foreign policy credentials.