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The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Western Wall in Jerusalem painted with anti-war message
The Western Wall in Jerusalem on Monday (August 11, 2025) was painted with graffiti condemning Israel's ongoing war in Gaza, authorities said, triggering widespread condemnation from religious leaders and politicians. 'There is a holocaust in Gaza' was graffitied in Hebrew on the southern portion of the wall, the holiest site where Jews are allowed to pray, located in the Israeli-annexed Old City of Jerusalem. A similar message was also written on the wall of the Great Synagogue, elsewhere in the city. Israeli police said a 27-year-old suspect had been arrested and would appear in court later on Monday (August 11, 2025), having requested an extension for his detention, without disclosing his identity. The incident sparked immediate outrage in Israel, with the Western Wall's Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch calling it a 'desecration'. 'A holy place is not a place to express protests... The police must investigate this action, track down the criminals responsible for the desecration and bring them to justice,' Mr. Rabinovitch said in a statement. The office in charge of the site's management said that the graffiti was scrubbed off in the morning. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who oversees Israel's law enforcement agencies, vowed that the police would act 'with lightning speed'. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also weighed in, saying the perpetrators 'forgot what it means to be Jewish'. Sharp condemnation also came from the opposition. Former defence minister Benny Gantz, now an opposition leader, called it 'a crime against the entire Jewish people'. The Western Wall lies in the heart of the Old City of Jerusalem, which Israeli forces captured during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.
Nahar Net
a day ago
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Western Wall in Jerusalem vandalized with anti-war message
by Naharnet Newsdesk 11 August 2025, 18:50 The Western Wall in Jerusalem on Monday was vandalized with graffiti condemning Israel's ongoing war in Gaza, authorities said, triggering widespread condemnation from religious leaders and politicians. "There is a holocaust in Gaza" was graffitied in Hebrew on the southern portion of the wall, the holiest site where Jews are allowed to pray, located in the Israeli-annexed Old City of Jerusalem. A similar message was also scrawled on the wall of the Great Synagogue, elsewhere in the city. Israeli police said a 27-year-old suspect had been arrested and would appear in court later on Monday, having requested an extension for his detention, without disclosing his identity. The incident sparked immediate outrage in Israel, with the Western Wall's Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch calling it a "desecration". "A holy place is not a place to express protests... The police must investigate this action, track down the criminals responsible for the desecration and bring them to justice," Rabinovitch said in a statement. The office in charge of the site's management said that the graffiti was scrubbed off in the morning. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who oversees Israel's law enforcement agencies, vowed that the police would act "with lightning speed". Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also weighed in, saying the perpetrators "forgot what it means to be Jewish". Sharp condemnation also came from the opposition. Former defense minister Benny Gantz, now an opposition leader, called it "a crime against the entire Jewish people". The Western Wall lies in the heart of the Old City of Jerusalem, which Israeli forces captured during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.
L'Orient-Le Jour
a day ago
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Western Wall in Jerusalem vandalized with anti-war message
The Western Wall in Jerusalem on Monday was vandalized with graffiti condemning Israel's ongoing war in Gaza, triggering widespread condemnation from religious leaders and politicians. "There is a holocaust in Gaza," was graffitied in Hebrew on the southern portion of the wall, the holiest site where Jews are allowed to pray. A similar message was also scrawled on the wall of the Great Synagogue, elsewhere in the city. Israeli police said a 27-year-old suspect had been arrested and would appear in court later on Monday, with the police requesting that his detention be extended. The incident sparked immediate outrage in Israel, with the Western Wall's Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch calling it a "desecration." "A holy place is not a place to express protests ... The police must investigate this action, track down the criminals responsible for the desecration and bring them to justice," Rabinovitch said in a statement. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir – who oversees the country's law enforcement agencies – said he was shocked and vowed that the police would act "with lightning speed." Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also weighed in, saying the perpetrators "forgot what it means to be Jewish." Sharp condemnation also came from the opposition. Former defense minister Benny Gantz, now an opposition leader, called it "a crime against the entire Jewish people." The Western Wall lies in the heart of the Old City of Jerusalem, which Israeli forces captured during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.
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First Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
Jerusalem's Western Wall vandalised with anti-war message: 'There is a holocaust in Gaza'
Jerusalem's Western Wall, which is one of the holiest sites for Jews, has been vandalised with a message reading 'there is a holocaust in Gaza'. read more The Western Wall in Jerusalem has been vandalised with an anti-war message that reads 'there is a holocaust in Gaza'. A similar message was also scrawled on the wall of the Great Synagogue elsewhere in the city. The photo of the wall with the graffiti appeared on the social media. Firstpost could not independently confirm its authenticity. The incident has been reported at a time when outrage over the Israeli war in the Gaza Strip has been rising over the world. Israel's restriction on the flow of aid into the strip has caused a severe hunger crisis that has killed scores of people and caused widespread malnutrition. Separately, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed at food distribution sites in what they say to be Israeli attacks. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Despite continuing with the bombardment of Gaza and expanding ground offensive, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has failed to either bring hostages back or defeat Hamas militarily. The failure, coupled with the tens of thousands of deaths in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis, has triggered protests and outrage. Amid such outrage, the Israel Police on Monday said that it arrested a 27-year-old Jerusalem resident suspected of spraying graffiti at the Western Wall complex and on the property of the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem. The Western Wall is the only surviving part of the ancient Temple Mount that has been destroyed twice in history — firstly by the Babylonians in the 6th Century BCE and then by the Romans in the 1st century BCE. As the actual Temple Mount —the holiest site for Jews— today remains restricted to Jews for prayers, the Western Wall is the holiest place they can access and therefore retains central important to their faith. Western Wall's Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch called the vandalism an act of 'desecration'. 'A holy place is not a place to express protests… The police must investigate this action, track down the criminals responsible for the desecration and bring them to justice,' said Rabinovitch, according to AFP. Considering the political tensions inside Israel over the opposition to the government over the failure to bring hostages back from Gaza and the government's pursuit of the offensive in Gaza, the incident has the potential to inflame further tensions.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Western Wall in Jerusalem vandalized with anti-war message
JERUSLAEM: The Western Wall in Jerusalem on Monday was vandalized with graffiti condemning Israel's ongoing war in Gaza, triggering widespread condemnation from religious leaders and politicians. 'There is a holocaust in Gaza,' was graffitied in Hebrew on the southern portion of the wall, the holiest site where Jews are allowed to pray. A similar message was also scrawled on the wall of the Great Synagogue, elsewhere in the city. Israeli police said a 27-year-old suspect had been arrested and would appear in court later on Monday, with the police requesting that his detention be extended. The incident sparked immediate outrage in Israel, with the Western Wall's Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch calling it a 'desecration.' 'A holy place is not a place to express protests... The police must investigate this action, track down the criminals responsible for the desecration and bring them to justice,' Rabinovitch said in a statement. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir — who oversees the country's law enforcement agencies — said he was shocked and vowed that the police would act 'with lightning speed.' Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also weighed in, saying the perpetrators 'forgot what it means to be Jewish.' Sharp condemnation also came from the opposition. Former defense minister Benny Gantz, now an opposition leader, called it 'a crime against the entire Jewish people.' The Western Wall lies in the heart of the Old City of Jerusalem, which Israeli forces captured during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.
