Israel’s High Court of Justice on Thursday, 9 Elul, held a hearing to hear the sides in the case dealing with the future character of the Kosel, the Kosel Plaza and an egalitarian prayer area.

The court is waited for a government response as to why the 2016 cabinet decision to implement an egalitarian prayer area is yet to be implemented. This area is known as Robinson’s Arch or the Kosel Dromi area.

The court in Thursday’s session instructed the government to reconsider its decision to suspend the planned construction of an egalitarian prayer area near the Kosel. Court President Justice Miriam Naor questioned “What happened here”.

The court is likely to give the government a month-to-two to respond. It will have to explain if it is willing to move ahead with the original decision to establish the egalitarian area and if not, then does the state attorney believe the High Court has the authority to impose an agreement on the government?

In its lengthy response to the court prior to the hearing, the Chief Rabbinate of Israel quoted a 1924 law, from the British Mandate era, citing the High Court has no jurisdiction to rule in the matter, since it is prohibited from adjudicating a case connecting to holy sites. https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/1343498/chief-rabbinate-tells-high-court-no-jurisdiction-kosel.html

With the passing of time, the Reform and Conservative Movement have become more hard-lined; unwilling to accept a compromise venue such as Robinson’s Arch. Today they are insisting on egalitarian prayer at the Kosel itself. They explain Robinson’s Arch is not considered “The Kosel” by anyone and therefore, accepting the venue as a replacement for Kosel prayer would be unacceptable.

The Thursday session was heard by Naor as well as Justices Yoram Danziger and Chanan Melcer.

It is entirely possible that since this process will be a lengthy one, the government will seek to find a solution in the passing of a law that would prohibit the establishment of the egalitarian prayer area. The hearing on Thursday lasted for 2.5 hours.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)