Israel’s High Court of Justice has instructed the government and the Jerusalem Municipality to move forward with the long-delayed bureaucratic process required to restore and upgrade the Kosel’s egalitarian prayer plaza, escalating pressure on authorities after years of inaction.
In its ruling, the court ordered the state and the municipality to submit an update within 90 days detailing progress on securing the necessary building permits.
The egalitarian section, officially called Ezrat Israel, is located at the southeastern end of the Kosel. Unlike the main plaza, the area lacks easy access, restroom facilities, full accommodations for people with disabilities, or physical access to touch the Kosel.
During a hearing on the issue this week, representatives for the state and the Jerusalem Municipality traded blame for the stalled process. Municipal officials argued that additional cabinet approval was required before building permits could be issued, despite a 2016 cabinet decision authorizing the upgrade.
The court rejected that argument, clarifying that no new cabinet approval is necessary. However, it noted that the parties may seek renewed authorization from the Israel Antiquities Authority before proceeding.
Under the ruling, the state must file an application for building permits within 14 days of obtaining the required antiquities approval. If authorities fail to respond within 45 days, the state must appeal to the Jerusalem District Committee for Planning and Building.
The legal challenge was brought by the Reform Movement in Israel and other petitioners.
“For nine years, the state and the municipality have been dragging their feet and refusing to promote an egalitarian, respectful, and accessible alternative in the Ezrat Israel,” attorneys Ori Narov and Orly Erez-Likhovski said in a joint statement following the ruling. “Now, the Court is ordering an end to the foot-dragging.”
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3 Responses
Who allotted the Bagatz (I can’t call it Supreme Court – unless it’s like Iran’s Supreme Moolah) all this power? They seized power like Khomein did in Iran and all the arab dictators did and then it remained that way. Never should they be deferred to. They assumed the powers they gave themselves and the country obliged.
Yaapchik – For the first 30 years Israel was a de-facto one party state. This was done [among other ways] by allowing the Socialist “Mapai” party to control 80% of the job market through the “Histadrut”. When Begin was elected, he began to move Israel towards democracy. The Leftist elite did the math [at the time the main driver of the shift was the growing influence of the Sephardi population] and understood that they needed a “Plan B’. So they quietly started transferring more and more power to the Supreme Court, who in turn enhanced the powers of the AG, who in turn further enhanced the Court’s power… By the 90s, the “issue” became the growing Chareidi population. The elected Chiloni officials [not just the Left] did the math, and realized that if they let Israel continue to move in the direction of genuine democracy, it would eventually become a Torah state by sheer demographic force. So they joined in the game of empowering the Bagatz. Only to discover 20 years later that their Frankenstein monster turned against them also, and now they too cry for judicial reform and want the Chareidi vote…
In a way it’s better they move all these screeching women around the corner of the kosel where no one will see or hear them. They don’t want to go there. They want to be in the ladies area of the kosel. They want one around the corner is where they refuse to go. So this whole thing is a charade. Fixing up that area is a waste as it’s always empty. But what does the Supreme Court care.