President Donald Trump became the first sitting American president to visit the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem on Monday.

The president was guided in his visit by Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, the rabbi of the Western Wall, who was appointed to his post in 1995 by the late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin. They were joined by Mordechai (Solly) Eliav, director general of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, which was formed by the Israeli government in 1988 to administer the Jewish holy site.

Trump’s appearance at the wall, part of his ongoing tour of Israel, was described by David Horovitz, the editor in chief of The Times of Israel, as “a carefully calibrated signal of respect” that was “immensely appreciated by his Israeli hosts.”

During his visit, Trump placed a hand on the wall and tucked a note inside its crevices, in accordance with Jewish tradition.

His daughter Ivanka Trump and First Lady Melania Trump also visited the wall separately through the women’s section.

Earlier in the day, the president toured the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the Old City, one of the holiest sites in Christianity.

[Photo: President Trump / YouTube ]