It was announced today, Tuesday, the death of US gambling emperor Sheldon Adelson, who was one of the world's richest people, known for his strong support of President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and his support for Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank.
And his company, "Las Vegas Sands," said that Adelson died last night at the age of 87, of complications from cancer.
Adelson is known for his generous support for Republicans, including outgoing President Donald Trump, and has been a prominent supporter of Israel.
A funeral will be held for him in Israel, and a memorial service is expected at a later time in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Netanyahu said that he and his wife were saddened by the death of Adelson, adding, "He was a wonderful friend to us personally, and an incredible hero of the Jewish people, the Jewish state and the alliance between Israel and America."
From the bottom to the top
It is noteworthy that Adelson, who grew up in a poor Jewish immigrant family in Boston, established hotels and nightclubs in Las Vegas, Macau and Singapore, and his fortune turned him into a figure of great weight in American politics.
His company, Las Vegas Sands, is the world's largest nightclub and gambling company.
And after his net worth reached $ 33.9 billion in March 2019, he was ranked 24th on the list of the world's richest people on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
"Much has been written and said about how Sheldon, the son of poor immigrants, rose to the pinnacle of success in business thanks to strength of determination, genius, inspiration and integrity. His story was an all-American entrepreneurial story," said a statement by his wife, Miriam Adelson.
Former US President George W. Bush said - in a statement - that Adelson "was an American patriot, a generous philanthropist, and a strong supporter of Israel."