Image by Getty Images

The Robinson’s Arch plaza at the Western Wall will come under the control of a future government-appointed pluralist council.

Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Naftali Bennett forged an agreement within the government on Thursday that would put the egalitarian prayer site in the hands of the council with non-Orthodox representation.

Last week, reports emerged that the government was going to transfer the plaza to the Ir David Foundation, a right-wing NGO that aims, in part, to settle Jews in the heavily Arab eastern Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

“The Israel Plaza belongs to all of the Jewish people and will be run by the state of Israel and the council that will be established,” Bennett said, using his name for the Robinson’s Arch plaza. “I didn’t build the plaza for it to be transferred to a private organization.”

Robinson’s Arch is used by non-Orthodox groups as a prayer space, and last year Bennett ordered construction of a platform there for that purpose. The government is negotiating with the Israeli Reform and Conservative movements, along with women’s prayer group Women of the Wall, to expand the plaza.

The non-Orthodox movements protested the Ir David Foundation deal, as they said it reneged on a prior agreement with the government to place Robinson’s Arch in the hands of a future council with non-Orthodox representation. In the wake of the protest, Cabinet Secretary Avichai Mandelblit said he intended to block the Ir David Foundation deal.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount