New US Ambassador to Israel Begins Diplomatic Mission by Delivering Prayer from President Trump

Tuesday, 22 April 2025 | Prayer at the Western Wall and delivery of a presidential request that heaven bring peace to Israel—that was the very first official action taken by the new United States ambassador to Israel. “It is an honor for me to be here on behalf of President Donald Trump and to bring the prayer he personally wrote last Thursday at the White House, with the instruction that my first act as ambassador be to take his prayer—in which he expresses his hope for peace in Israel—and place it in the Western Wall and pray for peace in the land,” said Amb. Mike Huckabee after he arrived in Israel on Friday morning in comments published by Israel.

For Amb. Huckabee, first visiting the Western Wall—a remaining section of the Second Temple complex that serves as Judaism’s most significant religious site today—also fulfilled his own personal pledge. While there, the America’s top diplomatic representative to Israel prayed with Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites. The time included reciting Psalm 121, a personal prayer by Amb. Huckabee for success of his mission and ongoing unity and peace between Israel and the US. And of course, delivery of President Trump’s prayer—fulfilling a long-standing Jewish tradition of depositing written prayers into the crevices of the Western Wall itself.

The Israeli press release said that in the note, Trump “wrote briefly and movingly: ‘For peace in Israel—Donald Trump,’ an extraordinary and deeply meaningful gesture that reflects the strong friendship between the two nations”

In his own recap of the event on his official US Ambassador account on X (formerly Twitter), Amb. Huckabee wrote: “This morning, I visited @westernwall_il in Israel’s eternal capital, Jerusalem, and placed a prayer from @POTUS between the stones. On behalf of President Trump and the American people, I say to Israel: our commitment to you is unwavering and we pray for the immediate return of all the hostages. Israel will never be alone.” 

In addition to Rabbi Rabinowitz, also welcoming Amb. Huckabee was the director of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, Mr. Mordechai (Suli) Eliav, who the Israeli press release noted offered the new ambassador “blessings for success in his new role, and expressed gratitude for the United States’ support for Israel’s security and the strong ties between the leaders and the nations.”

In the press release, Rabbi Rabinowitz underscored the significance of Amb. Huckabee making it a priority to visit the Western Wall in the shadow of ongoing conflict.

“Words cannot describe the emotion felt by the citizens of Israel and throughout the Jewish world upon hearing the announcement that you would come directly upon landing to the Western Wall, to pray and place a note on behalf of the President of the United States—one of Israel’s greatest friends,” said Rabbi Rabinowitz.

“Especially in these difficult days of war, pain, and uncertainty—your acts of friendship, faith, and support give the people of Israel strength and hope.”