Israeli supreme court demands action on kotel egalitarian section
Despite a legal directive almost a decade ago, both national and local government have stalled with regards to upgrades to the area for Progressive Jews
An Israeli supreme court panel has reportedly ruled that both the Israeli government and Jerusalem municipality must cease blocking attempts to upgrade the Egalitarian section of the Kotel, which have stalled for almost a decade despite a legal directive.
The unanimous ruling comes in the wake of the arrest of two senior representatives of the Women of the Wall organisation, who were detained earlier this week are reading from the Torah in the plaza near the kotel, having previously been prevented from doing so in the women’s section by the wall itself. The main men and women’s sections close to the kotel are overseen by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, which is strictly orthodox and completely opposed to women reading from the Torah at the location.
Yizhar Hess, vice chairman of the World Zionist Organisation and a senior representative of Masorti/Conservative Judaism in Israel, said the supreme court had “demanded an end to the endless, creative litany of excuses the state and municipality have used for years to block repairs necessary to enable access to the Kotel’s stones at the Egalitarian Platform, and required action be taken to secure the necessary permits within 45 days.” Hess described this decision as “a victory for those who believe in Jewish pluralism in Israel and that every Jew from every stream should have the equal opportunity to pray according to their custom at our holiest site.”
The current Egalitarian section near the kotel, created in 2013, does not have direct access to the Wall itself, instead occupying a platform close by which was always intended to be temporary. In 2017, Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky and Cabinet Secretary Avichai Mandelblit, negotiated an agreement which would see the section upgraded. However, both the national and local government have failed to move forward with the project – each blaming the other for the lack of progress.
It is unclear how exactly the project will move forward now, in the run-up to an election where the current government coalition includes strictly orthodox MKs who vehemently oppose the egalitarian space. Hess acknowledged this issue, saying: “While I’m sure the state and municipality will do everything in their power to justify continued inaction, I know my friends and partners who brought about today’s important decision will continue to hold them accountable in court.
“Ensuring these physical repairs are made will be a first step towards repairing an historic injustice that has done great damage to the bonds between Israel and Jewish communities around the world.”
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