On Monday afternoon US President Donald Trump visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem, without any official representatives from Israel. This is the first visit of an American president to the historic site. Trump was accompanied by the Rabbi of the Western Wall, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz. Trump toured the Western Wall plaza and then prayed and put a note in the wall. His wife Melania and daughter Ivanka prayed with the women. Before coming to the Kotel Trump toured the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and met with President Reuven Rivlin. After a two-hour rest at the King David Hotel, he will meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the two will travel to the prime minister's residence for dinner with their wives.
At the conclusion of meeting with Rivlin at the President's Residence, Trump said Saudi Arabia is ready to assist in the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. “I am honored to be in this great country, the homeland of the Jewish people,” Trump said after the meeting. “Thank you for opening your house to me and hosting Melania and me, a wonderful country, not only are we old friends, we are close allies.”