Videos: Mitt Romney Visits the Kosel

[Videos below.] Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has begun a visit to Israel as part of his foreign tour.

Romney visited the Kosel, taking a break from a day of meetings with Israeli and Palestinian officials.

Romney donned a yarmulke and was immediately surrounded by hundreds of well wishers – many Yidden wearing tefillin as Minchah proceeded around him.

“Here comes the next president! He is for Israel!” shouted one man as Romney descended the stone ramp to the plaza in front of the Kosel.

Romney was making his third visit to the Kosel on a fast day, He didn’t make any public remarks at the wall.

He greeted donor Philip Rosen with a hug, and was accompanied to the wall by Rav Shmuel Rabinowitz, the rov of the Kosel.

After Rav Rabinowitz blessed Romney and read Tehillim 121, Romney placed a pre-written prayer in the Kosel, then paused for a moment of silent prayer, leaning on the wall with his right hand. On his way out he signed a guest book.

Romney’s wife, Ann, walked to the wall via a separate women’s section. She also placed a prayer in the wall and paused with her hands over the crack where she placed it.

As they returned to their cars, hundreds of people surrounded the candidate, as security tried to push them away.

“Jerusalem is the Capitol of Israel – don’t forget it,” one man shouted at Romney.

Another rabbi spoke to Scott Romney, the candidate’s brother, and aides, saying, “We wish you success. We want you to win. You need a new president.”

As Romney backed away from the wall, son Josh Romney, traveling press secretary Rick Gorka, policy director Lanhee Chen, and another aide placed notes and paused for prayer at the Kosel.

“Mitt Romney, God will make you president because you came to Israel,” shouted another man, as donors and supporters replied “Amen.”

He is expected to pledge closer ties between the US and Israel if elected.
A senior aide to Romney has said he would back an Israeli military strike to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
The first leg of Romney’s trip was in London.
Romney is meeting Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, who is a personal friend of Romney’s, and President Shimon Peres.
A meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad is also scheduled, though not with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Romney will be hoping that burnishing his pro-Israel credentials will help him among key constituencies in a tight race with Obama, analysts say.
Romney says that Obama has undermined Israel and supported its enemies.
Romney is expected to give a speech in which he will say it is “unacceptable” for Iran to have the “capacity” to develop nuclear weapons.
One of his senior advisers went further on Sunday, saying Romney “would respect” an Israeli decision to take action on its own to prevent Tehran from gaining such a capacity.
While not explicitly ruling out military intervention, President Barack Obama’s policy has emphacised non-military means of putting pressure on Iran.

Click below for videos of the visit to the Kosel:

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See below for photos:

{ANGOP International/Photos: Reuters}

{Matzav.com Israel}