Sacred Stones of the Western Wall Defaced with Offensive Political Graffiti | Suspect Arrested

Deep shock in Jerusalem: On Monday morning, graffiti was discovered on the stones of the Western Wall — the holiest site for the Jewish people — reading in Hebrew: “There is a Holocaust in Gaza.”

This is not just vandalism of a sacred site — it is a direct assault on the historical dignity of the Jewish nation. To equate the extermination of six million Jews in the Holocaust with Israel’s fight against Hamas terror — especially after the horrific October 7th massacre — is a grotesque distortion, a vile slander, and a desecration of the memory of the victims.

The outrage is doubled when such a crime is committed by Israelis themselves. This is a red line that cannot be met with silence.

Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch, Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites, responded with pain and fury:

“A holy site is not a place to protest — all the more so when it is the most sacred site for the entire Jewish people. The police must investigate this act, find those responsible for this desecration, and bring them to justice.”

This is not the first time the Wall has been defaced. In the past, the northern section was vandalized, requiring complex cleaning under halachic (Jewish law) supervision to avoid damaging the sanctity of the stones. Once again, professional teams will be instructed on how to remove the writing without harming the sacred site.

The message must be clear: Those who deface the Western Wall deface the very heart of the Jewish nation. We will not tolerate incitement, false comparisons, or attacks on Israel’s holiest places.

Later, police announced that in the early hours of Monday morning, Jerusalem District officers arrested a 27-year-old city resident on suspicion of spray-painting offensive graffiti at the Western Wall and in central Jerusalem.

The incident began when security guards at the holy sites reported a man spraying the words “There is a Holocaust in Gaza” near the Mughrabi Gate of the Western Wall. Officers from the David Subdistrict who were called to the scene located the suspect and arrested him for questioning.

During the investigation, it was revealed that the suspect had committed a similar act earlier that night, spray-painting several messages of the same nature on the wall of the Great Synagogue in the city center.

At the end of his interrogation, the suspect was released under restrictive conditions. Police stated that they intend to continue gathering evidence and file an indictment against him for his actions.

Education Minister Yoav Kisch blasted the incident:

“There is no limit to this madness. The Western Wall is where generations of Jews have stood in prayer and tears. It is a symbol of the unity and eternity of the Jewish people. Attacking it is an attack on all of us. I demand the police act decisively against the perpetrators and bring them to justice.”

National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz also condemned the act:

“Vandalizing the stones of the Western Wall, the holiest site to the Jewish people, is a crime against the entire nation of Israel. I call on the police to investigate and prosecute the offenders. Our holy sites must remain above all dispute.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir also commented:

“I was shocked to see the desecration and disrespect shown to the holiest site of the Jewish people—the Western Wall. The Israel Police will act with lightning speed to arrest the perpetrator and bring him to justice.”

Outgoing Religious Affairs Minister MK Michael Malchieli stated:

“I am appalled by the desecration of the Western Wall by criminals with no boundaries. The Western Wall has been the holiest site of the entire Jewish people for thousands of years, and every such incident harms millions of Jews around the world. I call on law enforcement authorities to address this incident immediately and with the utmost severity—there are lines that must not be crossed.”