(Times of Israel) Raphael Ahren - The American official who told his Israeli counterparts that the Western Wall, the holiest place for Jews to pray, is not part of Israel was named Tuesday by Israel Channel 2 TV as David Berns, the political counselor at the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem. A second U.S. official, the consulate's economic counselor, Jonathan Shrier, was also involved in the incident, which deteriorated into an angry shouting match. The incident embarrassed the Trump administration ahead of President Trump's visit to Israel next week. The Western Wall, part of the retaining walls of the Second Temple compound, is the closest point to the site of the Temple itself where Jews can pray. It was captured in the 1967 war and annexed by Israel as part of its united capital - a move not recognized internationally. An official at the Prime Minister's Office said that "Israel is certain that the comment contradicts President Trump's policy." On Monday, the new U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, arrived in the country and went immediately to the Western Wall, which he called "the holiest place in the entire Jewish world."
2017-05-17 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive