Western Wall Defaced in Shocking Act — Family Says Suspect "Has No Control Over His Actions"

Jerusalem was shaken on Monday after shocking graffiti was discovered on the ancient stones near the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest site. The phrase “Holocaust in Gaza” was spray-painted near the Mughrabi Gate, sparking outrage from religious leaders, politicians, and the public.

According to Israel Police, officers launched an immediate investigation into the incident and detained a suspect hours later. Authorities reported that the same graffiti also appeared in other locations around Jerusalem.

The suspect’s family reached out to Israel’s Sephardi Chief Rabbi, Rabbi David Yosef, stating that the man suffers from severe mental illness and has a history of psychiatric hospitalizations. While condemning the act, they urged authorities to take his medical condition into account when determining legal proceedings.

“This was a disgraceful desecration of the most sacred place to the Jewish people,” said Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch, Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites. “A holy place is not the place to express political protests — and certainly not in such a vulgar and offensive way. The police must find and prosecute those responsible for this desecration.”

The Western Wall Heritage Foundation confirmed that a specialized cleaning team began carefully removing the graffiti on Monday morning, under rabbinical guidance, to avoid damaging the centuries-old stones. A similar incident occurred in the northern section of the Wall in the past, requiring a complex cleaning process with strict halachic supervision.

Political leaders from across the spectrum joined in condemning the act, describing it as a deliberate insult to Jewish heritage. Police have not yet confirmed whether the suspect acted alone or if others were involved.