King David Hotel: Where History Was Made and Blown Up

The King David Hotel is the most famous hotel in Israel and one of the most storied in the world. Built in 1931 by Egyptian Jewish banker Ezra Mosseri, the hotel was designed to be the most luxurious in the Middle East, a destination that would rival the great hotels of Europe. From its opening, the King David attracted royalty, diplomats, and celebrities, and its guest list over the decades reads like a who’s who of 20th-century history: Winston Churchill, Emperor Haile Selassie, Elizabeth Taylor, Barack Obama, and virtually every head of state who has visited Israel. In the lobby, a long strip of white stone is inlaid into the floor, running from one side to the other, bearing the reproduced signatures of the hotel’s most famous guests.

Walking along it is like a lesson in 20th and 21st-century history: Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Henry Kissinger, Margaret Thatcher, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, King Hussein of Jordan, Marc Chagall, Elizabeth Taylor, Madonna, and dozens more. Children and adults alike find themselves spending far longer than expected tracing the names and connecting the signatures to the stories behind them. To this day, every sitting US president who visits Israel stays at the King David.

The Bombing

On July 22, 1946, the Irgun, the Jewish underground organization led by Menachem Begin, bombed the southern wing of the hotel, which served as the headquarters of the British Mandatory government and the British military command. The southern wing had been requisitioned by the British during World War II, effectively turning part of the hotel into a fortified government compound with barbed wire and military guards. The bombing killed 91 people: 28 British, 41 Arabs, 17 Jews, and 5 of other nationalities. It was the deadliest attack of the Jewish insurgency against British rule and one of the most controversial acts of the pre-state period. Begin claimed that warnings were phoned in to the hotel, the Palestine Post newspaper, and the French consulate, but that the British either ignored or failed to act on the warnings in time. The British denied receiving adequate warning. The debate over what was communicated and when continues to this day, and the bombing remains one of the most debated events in the history of the British Mandate in Palestine.

The King David Hotel Jerusalem

The hotel’s architecture is a deliberate blend of influences: the pink limestone exterior evokes the Hittite and Assyrian palaces of ancient Mesopotamia, while the interior combines Art Deco elegance with Ottoman and Islamic motifs. The south wing, destroyed in the bombing, was rebuilt in the 1950s. The hotel’s famous terrace, overlooking the Old City walls and Mount Zion, offers one of the finest views in Jerusalem: a panorama that stretches from the Dome of the Rock to the tower of the Church of the Dormition, best appreciated at sunset when the ancient stones turn golden.

The Peace Negotiations

The King David has been the venue for numerous historic meetings and peace negotiations. Egyptian President Anwar Sadat stayed here during his groundbreaking visit to Jerusalem in 1977. The hotel has hosted rounds of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, summit meetings, and state dinners. The Presidential Suite, where visiting heads of state stay, is on the top floor with views of the Old City.

Visit with Hoshen Tours

The King David Hotel is both a luxury hotel and a museum of modern Israeli history. Hoshen Tours includes a walk through the lobby and terrace, telling the story of the bombing, the British Mandate, and the personalities who have walked these corridors.