Jerusalem, Israel — The Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest prayer site, was defaced on Monday with graffiti denouncing Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, prompting swift condemnation from religious leaders, politicians, and the public.
The words “There is a holocaust in Gaza” were spray-painted in Hebrew on the southern section of the ancient wall, a revered location where Jews from around the world gather to pray. A similar message appeared on the wall of the Great Synagogue elsewhere in the city.
Israeli police said a 27-year-old suspect was arrested in connection with the vandalism and would appear in court later the same day. Authorities are seeking to extend his detention.
Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch, who oversees the Western Wall, called the act a “desecration,” urging law enforcement to identify and prosecute all those responsible. “A holy place is not a place to express protests,” he said.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir described the vandalism as “shocking” and vowed that police would act “with lightning speed” to address it. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the perpetrators “forgot what it means to be Jewish,” while opposition leader Benny Gantz called it “a crime against the entire Jewish people.”
The Western Wall stands in Jerusalem’s Old City, an area captured by Israel during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. It remains one of the most sacred sites in Judaism and a focal point of both religious devotion and political symbolism.
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