Explore More
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s 87-year-old father died overnight while she was touring Israel — with the emotional politician leaving a note paying tribute to him in the Western Wall early Thursday.
“I pray for my father, who cherished his visit to this Holy Land, and who passed during the night,” Hochul’s handwritten message read in part.
Hochul was dressed in a dark-colored suit to mourn dad John Courtney, who died from a brain hemorrhage in Florida Wednesday night.
Courtney was an Irish Catholic who had previously visited Israel and encouraged his daughter to do the same.
Hochul arrived in Israel Wednesday in a show of support for the country and its people in the wake of the deadly Oct. 7 atrocity by Hamas terrorists.
After meeting with families of hostages being held in Gaza and with volunteers at a food pantry, the Democrat traveled to Jerusalem and stayed there overnight.
On her visit to the Western Wall, known as the holiest site in Judaism, a somber Hochul penned a letter sending up a prayer for her father and for the victims of the conflict raging in the Middle East.
Follow along with The Post’s live blog for the latest on Hamas’ attack on Israel
In accordance with tradition, Hochul tucked her letter into a crack in the ancient wall — the last remnant of the original retaining wall that surrounded the Second Temple built over 2,000 years ago.
“As I stand at this holy site, I pray that the arc of the universe bend toward justice, and may God continue to protect us and guide us to a peaceful, violence-free future,” the governor wrote.
“I pray for the victims of the Hamas attack on Israel, their families and all the innocent civilians lost as a result,” the note continued. “I pray for my father, who cherished his visit to this Holy Land, and who passed during the night.”
Following her visit to the Western Wall, Hochul, who is Catholic, made an unscheduled stop at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher — one of the holiest sites in Christianity — against the objections of her security team.
The governor walked over to the site, where it is believed Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected.
Inside, Hochul ducked into a dark shrine that sits atop Christ’s empty rock-cut tomb, knelt and prayed.
Later, the governor visited Shaare Tzedek — a hospital in Jerusalem that is treating people injured in the Hamas attacks. After meeting with personnel, Hochul visited several wounded Israelis.
Through a translator, a 21-year-old soldier told Hochul how he had rushed out of his military base to rescue civilians and evacuate injured people.
He was shot in the left leg during a gun battle with two Hamas fighters who ambushed him as he searched for survivors at the site of the deadly Supernova music festival.
“You’re strong and the people who you saved may never know who you are, but I will know you saved people at their greatest time of desperation,” Hochul told him, holding his hands.
The governor later visited a team of volunteer first responders, before driving to the residence of Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem for a meeting that was closed to the press.
Later, she delivered remarks to the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations at the Waldorf Astoria.
In her address, Hochul praised Israelis’ resilience and “strong spirit” — and said they “have the right to defend themselves, full stop.”
“Because if you don’t stop the aggressors, if you don’t push back the forces of evil, then they do continue to rise up,” Hochul added.
ncG1vNJzZmimqaW8tMCNnKamZ2Jlf3R7kGlmanFfnLy3eceomqGtnKh6p63ToZyrZZSesrR50q6bnZ2eocZuw8eio55lo52ytHnIp2Siq6KWsq17