The engineer of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, Ofer Cohen, has again warned that the remains of the ramp upon which the temporary entrance to the Moghrabi Gate of Jerusalem's Old City was built is in danger of collapse.

Cohen wrote to the head of WWHF, Rabbi Mordechai Eliav, that a significant snowfall, or even large amounts of rain, could threaten the stability of the bridge.

The rabbi of the Western Wall, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch, said in response that as far as he is concerned the Moghrabi Gate could be locked and its use discontinued immediately.

	Advertisement

"If the police thinks it needs the entrance for security reasons, then let it approve the [construction of the] permanent bridge," Rabinovitch said. "If the police doesn't do so, we shall begin taking apart the temporary wooden bridge shortly."

The temporary wooden bridge was built after the earthwork ramp leading up to the gate - one of the main entrances to the Temple Mount - collapsed. Jerusalem's municipal engineer determined some time ago that both the ramp and the bridge were in danger of collapse.

The plan to build a permanent bridge, designed by architect Ada Carmi, has been held up for a long time.