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Trump makes history as first sitting US president to visit Kotel

American leader seen putting note inside Western Wall

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US President Donald made history on Monday as the first sitting American leader to visit the Western Wall.

With the Old City of Jerusalem on security lockdown, Mr Trump and his wife Melania, together with his son-in-law Jared Kushner and wife Ivanka Trump, met the heads of several Christian denominations and began their tour at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

From there, the US delegation walked back to Jaffa Gate, from where they were driven to the Western Wall.

Kotel Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch and Heritage Foundation director Mordechai Eliav met the Mr Trump – who was wearing a black kippah - at the entrance to the plaza.

Mr Trump and Mr Kushner then walked to the men’s section of the wall, while daughter Ivanka and Mrs Trump headed to the women’s section.

According to the Times of Israel, Mr Trump approached the wall, lingering to touch the stones for some 30 seconds before slipping a note inside.

Ivanka Trump, who is an Orthodox convert, prayed at the wall, eyes shut, before stepping away. Mrs Trump also stood in reverence at the wall.

After the visit to the Kotel, Mr Trump had a working meeting with Mr Netanyahu at Jerusalem’s King David Hotel.

During the tete-a-tete, Mr Trump said Iran should be grateful to the US for the benefits it received under the 2015 nuclear deal.

“We gave them wealth & prosperity…and an ability to continue with terror,” he said.

Mr Netanyahu thanked Mr Trump for taking a stance against Iran in his speech a day earlier in Saudi Arabia.

Mr Trump says he was “honoured” to be the first sitting US president to visit the Western Wall earlier today.

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