Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel addressed the government's decision to freeze the planned division of the Western Wall Plaza and prevent the allocation of a section of the holy site for Reform and Conservative services.
"I am pleased that the government approved today the decision that reinstates the longstanding situation at the Western Wallj. We have succeeded in preventing unnecessary division of the Jewish people and harming the social and religious fabric of Israeli society and the Jewish people," Ariel said.
He promised, "We will continue to defend and strengthen the status quo and Jewish identity for the benefit of the State of Israel and the Jewish people in the Diaspora."
Ariel stressed that the Western Wall is open to everyone, and everyone can pray there."Moreover, there is now a separate expansion [at the Western Wall], and the Reform can go and pray there. But what the Reform Movement wants is the State of Israel's recognition of the Reform movement as equal in status to the Orthodox, and we did not agree to that."
"Because in the State of Israel, rulings on matters of religion and state - for all denominations and for all the communities - is the purview of the Chief Rabbinate in the Land of Israel. That's how it always was, and that's how it will be.
Minister Ariel clarified that "the State of Israel must support and indeed supports world Jewry because the main thing that binds us all is Jewish identity."