Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Sunday. The couple recited a special prayer for the wellbeing of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers and the security forces, and for the wellbeing of the hostages in Gaza. In a gesture of goodwill, Netanyahu also offered a special prayer for the wellbeing of US President Donald Trump.
PM Netanyahu placed a note in the wall, in accordance with a longstanding Jewish tradition. He wrote, “A people has risen up as a lion Am Yisrael chai!” (Long Live the Nation of Israel.) Notably, the phrase is a powerful and symbolic expression in Jewish culture, symbolising strength, courage and resilience. Netanyahu also shared a picture from his visit to the holy site on X.
עם כלביא קם. עם ישראל חי! pic.twitter.com/kKTvzEKPPj
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) June 22, 2025
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Why This Jerusalem’s Sacred Wall Means So Much To Israel?
In this article, we have shed light on the significance of the Western Wall in Jerusalem, visited by PM Netanyahu when the country is engaged in conflict with Iran.
The Western Wall in the old city of Jerusalem, also known as the Wailing Wall or Kotel, holds immense religious, historical, and cultural significance, particularly for the Jewish people. It is a sacred pilgrimage site of the Jewish. It is the last remaining retaining wall of the Second Temple of Jerusalem, which was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE. The wall was built by Herod the Great around 19 BCE to expand the Temple Mount. Temple Mount is a hill in the Old City of Jerusalem that has been revered as a holy site for thousands of years, including in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The ancient Jews held it holy.
There are several texts that suggest the survival of this wall despite the heavy destruction. One says that God saved this fragment for the Jewish people.
What Makes It Significant?
Jews believe the Divine Presence (Shechinah) has never left the Western Wall, making it the holiest accessible site for Jewish prayer today. It is a place of deep spiritual connection, prayer, and reflection. Jews hold the belief “the divine Presence never departs from the Western Wall” very close to their hearts.
The Western Wall measures about 50 metres long and about 20 metres high. Jews have been lamenting the destruction of the temple and praying for its restoration. Over the decades, it has become a custom to push slips of paper with wishes or prayers on them into the cracks of wall. It symbolises the communal hope, healing, and sending your prayers directly to God.
Therefore, the sacred wall holds immense significance for Israel which has a large Jewish population.
Also Read: Israel-Iran Conflict: US Issues Worldwide Travel Alert For Its Citizens Amid Risk Of Demonstrations
