Sticks in the wheels: High Court demands to know - why were powers transferred to Regev and Shaked?

July 3, 2018   

A petition filed requesting an interim order prohibiting the Prime Minister from transferring to him and Minister Yuval Steinitz the powers of Culture Minister Miri Regev and Minister Ayelet Shaked from the Holy Places Committee - will delay any decision on the Western Wall outline for at least 12 days. This was reported On News 20.The petition to the High Court of Justice alleged that the assumption of authority was illegal. The Supreme Court judge ruled that the respondents - the state, the Israel Antiquities Authority, the Prime Minister's Office, the Minister of Culture, the Minister of Education and the Minister of Justice - must submit their response to the request by 07/15/18 - in about 12 days. This means that until 07/15/18, the Prime Minister and Minister Steinitz are not legally entitled to make any decision and act in favor of approving the expansion of the extension at the 'Reform Western Wall'. Tonight (Tuesday) the Knesset approved by a majority of 48 members the transfer of authority in the Holy Places Committee from Chairwoman Miri Regev to the Prime Minister and Mayyelet Shaked to Yuval Steinitz. Only MK Smotrich opposed. The transfer of authority was carried out after the two refused to vote on the expansion of the extension. Minister of Religious Services David Azoulay was also a member of the committee.

Government Secretary to the Prime Minister. Photo: Spokesperson

As reported yesterday in Haredim 10, Cabinet Secretary Tzachi Braverman and Prime Minister's Office representative Adv. Ronen Peretz met on behalf of the Prime Minister with Chief Rabbi Yosef about the planned renovations to the 'Reform Western Wall' plaza. The Cabinet Secretary informed the Chief Rabbi that the government has no intention of making any changes to the current situation, and that the current activity is based on the understanding that the Western Wall's outline has been canceled, and all that will be done is to adapt the existing plaza to the approval of the planning and construction authorities that were given in the past. This is due to the fact that the current plaza was built without permits and is unsafe. The Cabinet Secretary added and clarified that no council will be established to manage the plaza and it will be subordinate to the Jewish Quarter Development Company. The Chief Rabbi insisted that there is no difference between the southern plaza at the Western Wall and the northern plaza, and that the entire area, by law and according to halachah, must be subordinate solely to the Chief Rabbinate. The Rabbi Yosef also presented the regular decisions of the Chief Rabbinate Council on the matter, dating back to the period when his father, the late Rabbi Yosef, served in the Chief Rabbinate. According to the decisions, no action may be taken without the approval of the Chief Rabbinate in all parts of the area, since it is the legally responsible entity for the place.