Is the wall a holy place from the Jews point of view?  by Amineh Ishtay

First of all, the Jews deny that the wall, the pavement in front of it and the Mograbi Quarter can be considered as Moslem Holy places.

According to the Jews the dilemma of the wall only dates from a period several centuries subsequent to Mohammed’s lifetime and they say that Al-Buraq is not mentioned in the Holy Quran. For the Jews there is no reason for the Moslems to think about the wall as a sacred place because of the Prophet having passed there on his celestial journey. They added that the route the Prophet Mohammed took entering the Temple area wasn’t defined and is only recently that the Moslems claimed that the wall is part of the Mosque.

Furthermore, they added that Moslems until recent years call the Wailing Wall Al-Buraq.

Concerning the Waqf character of the Wall, of the Pavement in front of it, and the Mograbi Quarter, the Jewish side declare that the extension of the areas donated for Waqf purpose is not indicated in the registers of the Sharia Court and particularly that the boundaries are not clear.

A commission appointed by His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland with the approval of the Council of the League of Nations, determined the rights and claims of Moslems and Jews in connection with the Western or Wailing Wall at Jerusalem in December 1930.

In pursuance of the said contention the Jewish Side have requested the Commission to take the following action:

-To give recognition to the immemorial claim that the Wailing Wall is a Holy Place for the Jews, not only for the Jews in Palestine, but also for the Jews of the whole world.

-To decree that the Jews shall have the right of access to the Wall for devotion and for prayers in accordance with their ritual without interference or interruption.

-To decree that it shall be permissible to continue the Jewish services under the conditions of decency and decorum characteristic of a sacred custom that has been carried on for many centuries without infringement upon the religious rights of others.

-To decree that the drawing up of any regulations, that may be necessary as to such devotions and prayers, shall be entrusted to the Rabbinate of Palestine, who shall thus re-assume full responsibility in that matter, in discharge of which responsibility they may consult the Rabbinate of the world.

-To suggest, if the Commissioners approve of the plan, to the Mandatory Power that it should make the necessary arrangements by which the properties now occupied by the Moghrabi Waqf might be vacated, the Waqf authorities accepting in lieu of them certain new buildings to be erected upon some eligible site in Jerusalem, so that the charitable purpose, for which this Waqf was given, may still be fulfilled.