Trump visits Yad Vashem: Never forget ‘history’s darkest hour’
American president pays tribute to six million Jews who died in the Shoah during visit to Israel's national Holocaust museum
Donald Trump has paid solemn tribute to the six million Jews killed during the Holocaust, calling on the world to never forget “history’s darkest hour”.
On a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, the president and first lady Melania Trump laid a wreath on a stone slab under which ashes from some of those killed in concentration camps are buried.
They were joined by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara, as well as daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner, who are White House senior advisers.
Earlier, on his fourth and final day in the Middle East, his motorcade crossed through the barrier surrounding biblical Bethlehem for a meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, where he pressed for progress on the dormant peace process.
If Israel and the Palestinians can forge an agreement, it could “begin a process of peace all throughout the Middle East”, Mr Trump said.
Mr Abbas said he was keen to “keep the door open to dialogue with our Israeli neighbours”.
He reiterated the Palestinians’ demands, including establishing a capital in East Jerusalem, insisting that “our problem is not with the Jewish religion, it’s with the occupation and settlements, and with Israel not recognising the state of Palestine”.
Mr Trump’s visit to Jerusalem has been laden with religious symbolism. He toured the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which by Christian tradition is where Jesus was crucified and the location of his tomb.
Wearing a black skullcap, he became the first sitting president to visit the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City, the most holy site at which Jews can pray.
He was joined at the wall by his family, who separated by gender to pray. The president and Mr Kushner visited one side, while the first daughter and first lady visited a portion of the site reserved for women.
Mr Trump approached alone and placed his hand on the stone.
The visit raised questions about whether the US would indicate the site is Israeli territory. Washington has never recognised Israeli sovereignty over parts of the Old City seized in the 1967 war.
The White House struggled to answer the question. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley declared the site part of Israel, while secretary of state Rex Tillerson on Monday dodged the question. Mr Trump himself never commented.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
