Settler group Elad edges closer to controlling Western Wall, despite protests
Jerusalem District Court approves agreement that will transfer control of Jerusalem
Archaeological Park and the Davidson Center to the Elad-City of David Foundation.
By Nir Hasson | Mar. 3, 2014 |
Despite harsh opposition from the cabinet secretary, it seems the move to transfer control of the Jerusalem
Archaeological Park and the Davidson Center to the Elad-City of David Foundation – which includes the
entire southern section of the Western Wall – is proceeding.
subsidiaries – the Company for the Reconstruction and Development of the Jewish Quarter in the Old City of
Jerusalem (JQDC, the current owner) and the Company for Reconstruction and Development of East
Jerusalem – which would transfer control of the area to Elad. Under the agreement, Elad would cover the
rental costs for the JQDC, and in turn receive full control of the site from April 1.
In the coming days, all 25 employees at the site will receive termination letters. They are expected to be
reemployed by Elad, according to the agreement between Elad and the JQDC, for at least one additional year.
Transferring control of the site to Elad has aroused concern among leaders of non-Orthodox Jewish groups,
who have been in negotiations with the government over the last year regarding creating an alternative
prayer site close to the Western Wall that would allow for non-Orthodox or alternative prayer.
The heads of the Reform and Conservative movements stated that if Elad is granted control of the key site,
it would effectively end the “Sharansky agreement,” which led to the construction of an alternative prayer
site within the archaeological park (a reference to a compromise on the Western Wall outlined by Jewish
Agency chairman Natan Sharansky last year).
According to the non-Orthodox leaders, during negotiations regarding the site, they were promised that the
archaeological park would remain under government control, and that they themselves would be partners in
running the site.
These recent developments apparently contradict messages sent to the non-Orthodox leaders by Cabinet
Secretary Avichai Mendelblit, in which he stated that the transfer would not happen. Mendelblit is currently
in Washington with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and meetings regarding the subject are scheduled to
be held.
The leader of the Conservative Movement in the United States sent a rare letter to Mendelblit, stating that if
Elad gains control over the site, the movement will pull out of negotiations with the Israeli government
regarding the prayer area. “It is infuriating and unacceptable to find that while this negotiation was going on,
other negotiations were taking place to put us under the authority of a group with a right-wing, Orthodox
religious point of view,” read the letter.
An Elad representative stated that the organization would respect any agreements reached by the
government and any groups wishing to pray at the site.
Archaeological Park and the Davidson Center to the Elad-City of David Foundation – which includes the
entire southern section of the Western Wall – is proceeding.
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Last week, the Jerusalem District Court approved a compromise agreement between two governmentsubsidiaries – the Company for the Reconstruction and Development of the Jewish Quarter in the Old City of
Jerusalem (JQDC, the current owner) and the Company for Reconstruction and Development of East
Jerusalem – which would transfer control of the area to Elad. Under the agreement, Elad would cover the
rental costs for the JQDC, and in turn receive full control of the site from April 1.
In the coming days, all 25 employees at the site will receive termination letters. They are expected to be
reemployed by Elad, according to the agreement between Elad and the JQDC, for at least one additional year.
Transferring control of the site to Elad has aroused concern among leaders of non-Orthodox Jewish groups,
who have been in negotiations with the government over the last year regarding creating an alternative
prayer site close to the Western Wall that would allow for non-Orthodox or alternative prayer.
The heads of the Reform and Conservative movements stated that if Elad is granted control of the key site,
it would effectively end the “Sharansky agreement,” which led to the construction of an alternative prayer
site within the archaeological park (a reference to a compromise on the Western Wall outlined by Jewish
Agency chairman Natan Sharansky last year).
According to the non-Orthodox leaders, during negotiations regarding the site, they were promised that the
archaeological park would remain under government control, and that they themselves would be partners in
running the site.
These recent developments apparently contradict messages sent to the non-Orthodox leaders by Cabinet
Secretary Avichai Mendelblit, in which he stated that the transfer would not happen. Mendelblit is currently
in Washington with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and meetings regarding the subject are scheduled to
be held.
The leader of the Conservative Movement in the United States sent a rare letter to Mendelblit, stating that if
Elad gains control over the site, the movement will pull out of negotiations with the Israeli government
regarding the prayer area. “It is infuriating and unacceptable to find that while this negotiation was going on,
other negotiations were taking place to put us under the authority of a group with a right-wing, Orthodox
religious point of view,” read the letter.
An Elad representative stated that the organization would respect any agreements reached by the
government and any groups wishing to pray at the site.
