Minister Majadele cedes role in Mughrabi Gate project to cabinet

The cabinet Sunday set up a ministerial committee to oversee the Temple Mount's Mughrabi Gate project, thereby effectively depriving Culture Minister Ghaleb Majadele, who previously had ministerial responsibility for the work, of this job.

The decision follows Majadele's tour of the area a few days ago during which he reportedly ordered archaeological excavations at the site to stop.

However, both Majadele and the Israel Antiquities Authority, which is carrying out the dig, deny that he gave such an order. The authority said that the work, which is a necessary step to replacing a collapsed ramp leading to the Mughrabi Gate from the Western Wall plaza, was halted due to planning problems and not the minister's orders.

The ministerial committee will be headed by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Majadele, who said he welcomed the decision, will be one of its other members, along with Public Security Minister Avi Dichter and the present and former Jerusalem affairs ministers, Rafi Eitan and Jacob Edery.

The ministerial committee is expected to approve a plan prepared by an interministerial committee, under which the collapsed ramp will be replaced by a bridge, and the space under the bridge will be used to expand the women's prayer area at the Western Wall.

The entrance to the bridge will be separate from the entrance to the Western Wall plaza.

The plan will apparently be submitted to the Jerusalem planning commission for approval next Tuesday.

	Culture Minister Ghaleb Majadele. (Moti Kimche)