President William Ruto this week visited the Western Wall of Jerusalem commonly referred to by Christians as the Wailing Wall where he had a solemn moment.
Photos shared showed the President in an earnest session of prayer at the wall, where thousands go to have their prayers.
The term wailing Wailing Wall was coined following the Jews' act of weeping at the site during prayers. However, Jews perceive the phrase Wailing Wall as derogatory.
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The wall is a portion of ancient limestone wall in the Old City of Jerusalem.
Significance of the Wailing Wall
The wall, according to online sources, plays a crucial role in Judaism due to its proximity to the Temple Mount. The Temple Mount has several entry restrictions, hence the Wall is the holiest place where Jews are permitted to pray outside the previous Temple Mount platform, as the presumed site of the Holy of Holies, the most sacred site in the Jewish faith, which lies just behind it.
In 2017, opposition leader Raila Odinga also prayed at the Wailing Wall, which he termed as a very strong symbol of strength and unity.
“This week, I travelled to The Holy Land to deliver an address on democracy, religion and peace in Africa. While in Jerusalem, I visited the Western Wall. The Western Wall is the pulpit of the Temple of Solomon and is said to have been built over 5,000 years ago. This site is sacred to all three Abrahamic religions - Judaism, Islam and Christianity - and to me it is a very strong symbolism of strength and unity,” Raila said.
Ruto prayed at the wall after visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Ruto and Netanyahu said there exists huge potential between Kenya and Israel.
“We must exploit these opportunities. There are a wide range of exports that deserve to reach the Israel market,” said Ruto.
He said the absence of direct flights between Kenya and Israel is a “serious impediment” that continues to hamper trade and tourism. Ruto observed that Kenya and Israel possess unique global attractions that can sustain robust growth in tourism.
Earlier, Ruto met his Israel counterpart Isaac Herzog at his residence in Jerusalem where they agreed to expand Kenya-Israel cooperation.
