Latest news with #WesternWallHeritageFoundation
Mint
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Mint
US-Israel strikes on Iran: Netanyahu says ‘we are very, very close to completing the objectives'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday (June 22) said Israel was nearing its strategic goals in Iran following a series of high-profile US-led airstrikes on Tehran's nuclear infrastructure. 'I have no doubt that this is a regime that wants to wipe us out, and that's why we embarked on this operation to eliminate the two concrete threats to our existence: the nuclear threat and the ballistic missile threat,' Netanyahu said, addressing reporters. 'We are moving step by step towards achieving these goals. We are very, very close to completing them.' He stressed that the campaign would end only when those objectives were met. 'We won't pursue our actions beyond what is needed to achieve them, but we also won't finish too soon,' he added. Netanyahu made it clear that Israel would avoid getting bogged down in prolonged conflict. 'We won't be dragged into a war of attrition but also won't end the campaign prematurely,' he said. He also revealed that Israeli intelligence had new insights: 'We have interesting intel on the location of Iran's 60% enriched uranium,' he said, suggesting further strikes could be imminent. Hours after the strikes, Netanyahu visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem to pray for US President Donald Trump, whose administration authorized the bombing of Iranian nuclear sites. In a video released by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, Netanyahu is seen praying with his wife Sara and placing a handwritten note into the wall. 'Bless, protect and help the President of the United States, Donald Trump, who has taken it upon himself to drive out evil and darkness in the world,' he prayed. President Donald Trump, who authorised the strikes as part of Operation Midnight Hammer, defended the decision and warned Iran against retaliation. 'Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace,' Trump declared. He added a stark warning: 'There will either be peace, or there will be tragedy for Iran.' The Pentagon confirmed that B-2 bombers dropped 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on Iran's key nuclear facilities, including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. While Iran and the IAEA said there was no radiation leak, the Pentagon said the facilities had suffered 'sustained, extremely severe damage and destruction.' Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned, 'The Americans must receive a response to their aggression,' in remarks made to French President Emmanuel Macron. 'The warmongering and lawless administration in Washington is solely and fully responsible for the dangerous consequences and far-reaching implications of its act of aggression,' Araghchi said, adding that he would fly to Moscow to coordinate with Russia. Despite the aggressive strike, the Trump administration signaled openness to diplomacy. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio refrained from specifying whether the US would respond with military force if Iran attempted to close the Strait of Hormuz or if Iranian proxy groups targeted oil infrastructure. "I'm not going to take options away from the president, that's not something we're talking about right now in terms of being immediate." Rubio acknowledged that while such a move would impact the U.S., it would have far greater consequences globally—particularly for China. "That would be a suicidal move on [Iran's] part, because I think the whole world would come against them if they did that," Rubio said.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump calls for ‘peace for Israel' in handwritten note placed in Western Wall
Credit: Reuters Donald Trump has called for peace in Israel in a handwritten prayer pushed into the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, visited one of the holiest sites in Judaism on Friday morning, where he placed a 'special note' from Mr Trump with the words: 'For peace in Israel – Donald Trump.' 'It is an honour for me to be here on behalf of president Trump and to bring the prayer he personally wrote last Thursday at the White House, with the instruction that my first act as ambassador be to take his prayer – in which he expresses his hope for peace in Israel – and place it in the Western Wall and pray for peace in the land,' Mr Huckabee said. 'I also come with a prayer that all of the hostages will come home. That is the prayer of the president,' he said, on the final evening of Passover. Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites and Mordechai Eliav, the director of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, welcomed Mr Huckabee at the Western Wall. 'Words cannot describe the emotion felt by the citizens of Israel and throughout the Jewish world upon hearing the announcement that you would come directly upon landing to the Western Wall, to pray and place a note on behalf of the president of the United States – one of Israel's greatest friends,' Rabbi Rabinowitz said. 'Especially in these difficult days of war, pain, and uncertainty – your acts of friendship, faith, and support give the people of Israel strength and hope,' he added. Mr Trump became the first sitting US president to visit the Western Wall during his first term in 2017. He later called it a 'great honour,' adding: I can see a much deeper path, friendship with Israel.' He moved the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem a year later, in a move that delighted Israelis and infuriated Palestinians. Israel's government regards Jerusalem as the eternal and indivisible capital of the country, although that is not recognised internationally. Palestinians feel equally strongly, saying that East Jerusalem must be the capital of a future Palestinian state. Mr Huckabee, a Baptist minister and former governor of Arkansas, is considered among the most pro-Israel ambassadors the US has ever had, visiting the country about 100 times and leading more than 10,000 on trips to the holy land since 1981. The ambassador is a staunch supporter of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which he doesn't see as occupied territory but as a part of Israel. American Jewish organisations are divided over their views on Mr Huckabee, with left-wing liberals being particularly critical of him. The chief executive of left-wing organisation J-Street said his 'embrace of annexation, extremist settlers and fanatical Christian Zionism stands in stark contrast to the Jewish, democratic values held by the overwhelming majority of our community – and in stark contrast to Israel's founding values of justice, equality and peace'. Meanwhile, the Zionist Organization of America president Morton Klein, applauded the nomination of Mr Huckabee as the next US ambassador. 'Governor Huckabee is a great American patriot and friend of the Jewish people, and a man of sterling character and compassion, with widely-praised executive abilities. Gov Huckabee has an extraordinary understanding of Israel's history, legal rights to her land and on-the-ground realities,' Mr Klein said. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Trump calls for ‘peace for Israel' in handwritten note placed in Western Wall
Donald Trump has called for peace in Israel in a handwritten prayer pushed into the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, visited one of the holiest sites in Judaism on Friday morning, where he placed a 'special note' from Mr Trump with the words: ' For peace in Israel – Donald Trump.' 'It is an honour for me to be here on behalf of president Trump and to bring the prayer he personally wrote last Thursday at the White House, with the instruction that my first act as ambassador be to take his prayer – in which he expresses his hope for peace in Israel – and place it in the Western Wall and pray for peace in the land,' Mr Huckabee said. 'I also come with a prayer that all of the hostages will come home. That is the prayer of the president,' he said, on the final evening of Passover. Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites and Mordechai Eliav, the director of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, welcomed Mr Huckabee at the Western Wall. 'Words cannot describe the emotion felt by the citizens of Israel and throughout the Jewish world upon hearing the announcement that you would come directly upon landing to the Western Wall, to pray and place a note on behalf of the president of the United States – one of Israel's greatest friends,' Rabbi Rabinowitz said. 'Especially in these difficult days of war, pain, and uncertainty – your acts of friendship, faith, and support give the people of Israel strength and hope,' he added. Mr Trump became the first sitting US president to visit the Western Wall during his first term in 2017. He later called it a 'great honour,' adding: I can see a much deeper path, friendship with Israel.' He moved the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem a year later, in a move that delighted Israelis and infuriated Palestinians. Israel's government regards Jerusalem as the eternal and indivisible capital of the country, although that is not recognised internationally. Palestinians feel equally strongly, saying that East Jerusalem must be the capital of a future Palestinian state. Mr Huckabee, a Baptist minister and former governor of Arkansas, is considered among the most pro-Israel ambassadors the US has ever had, visiting the country about 100 times and leading more than 10,000 on trips to the holy land since 1981. The ambassador is a staunch supporter of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which he doesn't see as occupied territory but as a part of Israel. American Jewish organisations are divided over their views on Mr Huckabee, with left-wing liberals being particularly critical of him. The chief executive of left-wing organisation J-Street said his 'embrace of annexation, extremist settlers and fanatical Christian Zionism stands in stark contrast to the Jewish, democratic values held by the overwhelming majority of our community – and in stark contrast to Israel's founding values of justice, equality and peace'. Meanwhile, the Zionist Organization of America president Morton Klein, applauded the nomination of Mr Huckabee as the next US ambassador. 'Governor Huckabee is a great American patriot and friend of the Jewish people, and a man of sterling character and compassion, with widely-praised executive abilities. Gov Huckabee has an extraordinary understanding of Israel's history, legal rights to her land and on-the-ground realities,' Mr Klein said.
The Hill
15-04-2025
- General
- The Hill
Tens of thousands of Jews gather for traditional blessing in Jerusalem
JERUSALEM (AP) — Tens of thousands of people gathered at Judaism's holiest site in Jerusalem on Tuesday for the traditional priestly blessing prayer. The 'Birkat Cohanim,' or Cohen's blessing, is a ritual dating back over 2,500 years to when King Solomon's Temple stood on the same site. The blessing is performed by male Jews who can trace their lineage back to the priestly caste, and takes place three times a year during Judaism's major holidays. Jews are currently observing the week-long holiday of Passover. The prayer was led by many of the country's top rabbis as well as Eliya Cohen, a former hostage who was released from Gaza in February, and relatives of other hostages still being held in Gaza. After the traditional blessing, the rabbis recited a prayer for the 59 hostages still held in captivity in Gaza. Many worshippers said the prayer had special meaning this year, given the ongoing war, which has stretched on for more than 18 months. 'It's hard for us to believe that we still have hostages that are not able to come home and come and be here and join us with this,' said Shandey Fuchs, who said she tries to attend the ceremony every year. She added that she hopes the prayer brings unity and lasting peace across Israel. The blessing is recited in Hebrew while religious men cover their heads with prayer shawls, creating a sea of white at the Western Wall Plaza. The paved prayer area in front of the wall is the last remnant of the second Jewish Temple destroyed in the 1st century. The Western Wall Heritage Foundation, which runs the site, said more than 200,000 people have visited the site during the Passover holiday, one of three Jewish holidays where ancient Jews traditionally made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Tens of thousands of Jews gather for traditional blessing in Jerusalem
JERUSALEM (AP) — Tens of thousands of people gathered at Judaism's holiest site in Jerusalem on Tuesday for the traditional priestly blessing prayer. The 'Birkat Cohanim,' or Cohen's blessing, is a ritual dating back over 2,500 years to when King Solomon's Temple stood on the same site. The blessing is performed by male Jews who can trace their lineage back to the priestly caste, and takes place three times a year during Judaism's major holidays. Jews are currently observing the week-long holiday of Passover. The prayer was led by many of the country's top rabbis as well as Eliya Cohen, a former hostage who was released from Gaza in February, and relatives of other hostages still being held in Gaza. After the traditional blessing, the rabbis recited a prayer for the 59 hostages still held in captivity in Gaza. Many worshippers said the prayer had special meaning this year, given the ongoing war, which has stretched on for more than 18 months. 'It's hard for us to believe that we still have hostages that are not able to come home and come and be here and join us with this,' said Shandey Fuchs, who said she tries to attend the ceremony every year. She added that she hopes the prayer brings unity and lasting peace across Israel. The blessing is recited in Hebrew while religious men cover their heads with prayer shawls, creating a sea of white at the Western Wall Plaza. The paved prayer area in front of the wall is the last remnant of the second Jewish Temple destroyed in the 1st century. The Western Wall Heritage Foundation, which runs the site, said more than 200,000 people have visited the site during the Passover holiday, one of three Jewish holidays where ancient Jews traditionally made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
