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The Comprehensive Plan for the Excavation of the Entire Western Wall Plaza: the Darkness at the End of the Tunnel

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The Comprehensive Plan for the Excavation of the Entire Western Wall Plaza: the Darkness at the End of the Tunnel Chapter 5: The Comprehensive Plan for the Excavation of the entire Western Wall Plaza: The Darkness at the End of the Tunnel 2015 October 2015 Table of contents >> 1. Comprehensive Planning, or "Tossing Dust in their Eyes"? 3 Written by: Raz Kletter Researched by: Yonathan Mizrachi, Gideon Sulymani >> 2. The "Pilot": The Realization of the Comprehensive Plan Research assistant: Anna Veeder as a Particular Project that "Evolves in a Piecemeal Manner” 5 Hebrew editing: Dalia Tessler English Translation: Samuel Thrope Please update >> 3. Preparing for a Mega-Project or Throwing Dust in Their Eyes? 7 Proof-editing: Dana Hercbergs, Talya Ezrahi >> 4. The IAA Mobilizes to Approve the Comprehensive Plan 8 Graphic Design: Lior Cohen Photographs: Emek Shaveh >> 5. The Archaeological Implications of the Comprehensive Plan 9 Emek Shaveh (cc) | Email: [email protected] | website www.alt-arch.org Emek Shaveh is an organization of archaeologists and heritage professionals focusing on the role of tangible cultural heritage in Israeli society and in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We view archaeology as a resource for strengthening understanding between different peoples and cultures. Please update This publication was produced by Emek Shaveh (A public benefit corporation) with the support of the Norwegian Embassy in Israel, the Federal Department for Foreign Affairs Switzerland (FDFA), Cordaid and the Irish Foreign Ministry. Responsibility for the information contained in this report belongs exclusively to Emek Shaveh. This information does not represent the opinions of the abovementioned donors. 1. Comprehensive Planning, or "Tossing Dust in their Eyes"? “We must be at the center of this process; not to lead it, but to be a central player. There is a problem – we are under pressure, and, therefore, it is important that “Mr. Dorfman also described the Israel Antiquities Authority’s [henceforth: the process advance quickly. There was harsh public criticism of the pressure IAA] vision for the comprehensive plan, which includes the excavation of the system that was brought to bear on us to approve the plan for Beit Strauss. It entire Western Wall Plaza and the creation of a complete archaeological level was determined in the municipal planning committee that the Mughrabi Bridge underneath it, that will enable archaeological continuity from the City of David would not receive a permit as long as there is no comprehensive plan, and it was 1 to the Western Wall Tunnels.” then agreed that any future projects would also require a comprehensive plan, The collapse of the Mughrabi Bridge in 2004 was the signal for a new wave of building despite the fact that it has not yet been completed” (Document 3, April 6, 2009). projects in the Western Wall Plaza, though the project of a new bridge itself did not Seligman thinks that the process must be pushed forward quickly in order to remove materialize. The court that dealt with the objections to the reconstruction of the Mughrabi pressure from the IAA. The IAA hurried to approve the Beit Strauss plan. It was not troubled Bridge decided, among other things, that a "comprehensive plan" for the entire plaza was by the pressures to approve the plan, but by the public criticism against the approval of this a necessity. plan. Yuval Baruch added: Various plans for the Western Wall Plaza (the Safdie Plan is the best known among them) “The comprehensive plan for the area is like "tossing dust in the eyes." We are had been put forward in the past, but all were ultimately shelved. In 2009, a planning talking about such an expensive project that it will not materialize. There are a process for the entire plaza was initiated, but going against normal practice in projects number of projects that are happening "piecemeal" (the Givati parking lot is the 2 of this magnitude, no architectural competition was held. The Western Wall Heritage prime example of this). We have to set conditions, but should not treat the topic Foundation simply hired architect Gabriel (Gobi) Kertes to work under the direction of as a comprehensive plan (Document 3).” Shlomo Eshkol, the Jerusalem city engineer (Document 2). Kertes presented a plan and, as far as we know, no other options were considered. In April 2009, the IAA held a discussion on a "comprehensive vision" for the Western Wall Plaza; in other words, about Kertes's plan. We did not receive a summary of this discussion (Document 3). The first speaker, Raanan Kislev (head of the conservation department) described the situation correctly: This is a central crossroads, "and we are being drawn in"; the IAA must be "entirely" involved. The question is how? Jon Seligman spoke next: The IAA has a responsibility "beyond the archaeology [. .] to be present and to manage the heritage of the Old City." The same argument was made by Amos Kloner and Yoram Tsafrir, who opposed the building plans for Beit HaLiba and Beit Strauss on the grounds that, beyond the excavation area itself, there is a larger archaeological heritage that is worth preserving (though in the planning committees the IAA stood on the opposite side of the barricades, supporting the developers' position). Seligman continued and said: 1) Minutes of the decisions of the Jerusalem Region Planning and Construction Committee, Jerusalem District Administration, Hearing Number 2010013, 26 October 2010, p. 6; compare the transcript of the same hearing, p. 25. 2) On former plans for the Plaza see Nitzan Shiftan, A. 2011, “Stones with a Human Heart”: On Monuments, Modernism and Preservations at the Western Wall. Theory and Criticism vol. 38-39, pp. 65- Picture 1: The Western Wall Plaza in 2015, general view. The Western Wall at center; the Archaeological 100. (Hebrew). Park on the right, Beit Strauss on the left. 3 Back to TOC According to Baruch, what is being considered is not a comprehensive plan; this is exactly [and] conservation processes from within this building project. We must act the view of those opposing Kertes's plan for the Western Wall Plaza in the planning through the force of the Antiquities Law and reach decisions accordingly. [I committees. Uri Barsheshet (a municipal planner) opposed Gobi Kertes's plan in the am] in favor of the large project; this is a national project that will necessitate planning committee because, as he put it, it is a "plumber's plan": receiving funding from the state (Document 3).” “A plumber's plan, meaning that it is designed from the perspective of the Dahari believes in a comprehensive plan, that is, in the "large project." The problem is that plumbing – where the sewage line will go and where the elevators will be [ . .] the IAA wants to be both the primary implementing body, and the supervising body, as but in no sense did they start with a vision.”3 the Antiquities Law 1989 allows. In such a situation there is no possibility of objectivity or impartial decisions. According to clause 29 of the Antiquities Law, as the supervising According to Barsheshet, no one was consulted in the planning process, apart from the body the IAA is meant to protect ancient sites, including preventing any activity that could organizations that were directly involved, and it is not by chance that the comprehensive damage antiquities, including: plan legitimizes ex post facto all the individual projects that were put forward beforehand: “Construction, paving, erecting facilities, quarrying, mining, drilling . erecting “In the meantime, according to the plan, we can move to the permit stage for the structures or walls . [etc.]”.6 individual projects. These will be advanced as detailed plans that are consistent with the master plan, such as the Mughrabi Bridge, Beit Strauss, and Beit HaLiba. How interesting – all the individual projects, in parallel, fit the master plan that was put together after them.”4 In the internal discussion in the IAA (Document 3) Yuval Baruch admits that there is no comprehensive plan, but in the planning committees the IAA would defend and praise Kertes's plan. According to Baruch, the way to get things done in the State of Israel is not with a well thought-out, comprehensive plan, which according to him is not applicable, but rather through the “piecemeal method”. Settler organizations in East Jerusalem work in exactly the same way. Perhaps this is why Baruch mentioned the Givati parking lot as the "prime" example of a project that "happened in a piecemeal fashion." Even before the structure on the site of the Givati parking lot was planned, and before its design was approved, the IAA promised Elad that it would support the construction.5 The next speaker was Uzi Dahari, Deputy Director for Archaeology at the IAA: “We must not give up our right to veto according to clause 29 of the Antiquities Law. We need to be involved in all aspects of the planning, from the basement to the size and shape of the windows. We have to find a structure that will allow us Picture 2. The Western Wall Plaza, view towards the Western Wall with the temporary Mughrabi to be both partners and overseers. It is important to us to lead the archaeological Bridge (right) and Beit Haliba excavation area. 3) Transcript of the Plenary Session of the Regional Planning and Construction Committee, Hearing Number 2010013, 26 October 2010, p. 105. As the implementing body, the IAA has an interest in encouraging development in order to conduct excavations. The conflict of interest is self-evident; the decisive factor that tips 4) U. Barsheshet, Transcript of the Plenary Session of the Regional Planning and Construction Committee, Hearing Number 2010013, 26 October 2010, p. 105. the scales in support of the project is the fact that it "will receive funding from the state." 5) R.
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