Police arrest Jerusalem man after spray-painting “There is a holocaust in Gaza” on the Western Wall, sparking outrage from top Israeli leaders.
Jerusalem awoke to shock and outrage on Monday after the southern section of the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest site, was found defaced with Hebrew graffiti reading: “There is a holocaust in Gaza.” The vandalism was discovered near the egalitarian “Ezrat Yisrael” prayer area, prompting an immediate police investigation.
Security guards spotted a 27-year-old Jerusalem resident near the Mughrabi Gate moments after he allegedly scrawled the inflammatory slogan. Officers from the David Precinct rushed in, arresting the suspect on the spot. During questioning, police learned he had earlier defaced the Great Synagogue in the city center with a similar message. Authorities are now seeking to extend his detention.
Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion condemned the act as a grave assault on the Jewish people’s spiritual and national heart:
“Protest cannot justify desecrating a holy site and offending millions of Jews. Jerusalem will continue to protect the sanctity of its holy places.”
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich was equally blunt:
“Anyone capable of defiling these ancient stones with antisemitic blood libels has forgotten what it means to be a Jew.”
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir vowed swift justice:
“The Israel Police will act with lightning speed to bring the rioter to justice.”
Rabbi of the Western Wall, Shmuel Rabinovitch, expressed deep sorrow:
“A holy site is not a place for protest — especially not the most sacred site of the Jewish people. The perpetrators must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
This is not the first time vandals have targeted the Western Wall. A previous incident at the northern section required painstaking cleaning under strict halachic guidelines to protect the sanctity of the stones. Rabbi Rabinovitch confirmed that once again, a specialized team will remove the graffiti with utmost care to prevent any damage.
