Paraguayan President Santiago Peña at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, alongside Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz. (The Western Wall Heritage Foundation)
‘Honor to renew commitment to the Jewish people,’ says President Santiago Peña during a visit to the Western Wall in Jerusalem, hours before the opening ceremony for Paraguay’s new embassy in Jerusalem.
By World Israel News Staff
Paraguayan President Santiago Peña visited the Western Wall Plaza in the Old City of Jerusalem on Thursday just hours before he was scheduled to participate in a ceremony marking the unveiling of Paraguay’s new embassy in the Israeli capital.
As part of his solidarity visit to Israel, Peña arrived at the Western Wall Thursday morning with a delegation of Paraguayan leaders, including the president of Parliament, government ministers, members of parliament, and his family.
“I am here today to thank God because three years ago, I came here to pray that I would be granted the position of president and the opportunity to serve my country,” Peña said. “It is an honor for me to say thank you here and to renew my commitment to do good for Paraguay, for Israel, and for the Jewish people.”
Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites, and Mordechai (Suli) Eliav, director of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, welcomed the delegation. They expressed gratitude for Paraguay’s strong support for Israel and explained the site’s historical and spiritual significance for the Jewish people throughout the generations.
During the visit, the president offered a silent prayer at the Wall, placed a personal note between its stones, and signed the guest book.
He concluded his visit with a tour of the Western Wall Tunnels.
Later on Thursday, Peña will oversee the opening of Paraguay’s new embassy in Jerusalem, located in the Har Hotzvim tech park.
Paraguay is poised to become the sixth country to relocate its embassy to Israel’s capital city, joining the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, and Papua New Guinea.
In 2018, Paraguay also relocated its embassy to Jerusalem, but later reverted its mission headquarters in Israel back to Tel Aviv.
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