This is rich: 'Palestinians' object to 'egalitarian prayer area' in Western Wall plaza

Anxious to avoid a controversy, Prime Minister Netanyahu asked former Minister Natan Sharansky to find a solution to the monthly riots over Women of the Wall. Sharansky has proposed making a separate 'egalitarian prayer area' (i.e. without a separation barrier between men and women) south of where the current Kotel plaza is.

Sharansky’s plan will allow for the construction of an additional section of the Western Wall Plaza at the southern end of the Kotel, equal in size and height as the northern prayer area, for egalitarian prayer and accessible as part of one unified Western Wall complex with a single entrance. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has told Sharansky to meet with National Security Adviser Yaakov Amidror to deal with issues like how to handle moving the Mugrabi Bridge to the Temple Mount.

But the 'Palestinians,' who are generally supported by many of the same Leftists who support Women of the Wall, object to making any changes to the Kotel plaza.

The Palestinian Authority will not permit Israel to change the entrance to the Temple Mount in order to facilitate the building of an egalitarian prayer area near the Western Wall, PA Religious Affairs Minister Mahmoud El Habash told The Jerusalem Post in Ramallah Thursday morning.
He said he considers the Western Wall an Islamic holy site, al-Buraq.

"Any changes in Haram a-Sharif [Temple Mount] is unacceptable to the Palestinians and Arab side," Habash said in a meeting with Israeli journalists. "It's a change of our heritage site and I believe such changes may push all of us to new conflicts and problems."

Habash, who is a former Hamas member from the Gaza Strip but strongly backs two states for two peoples, said any change in the status quo regarding the Temple Mount must wait until a final status agreement between Israel and the PA.

"Any changes in this situation will make the problem more difficult," Habash said. "We don't agree to any changes. It's a Wakf place, and Islamic place and we have documents to prove it. You can pray how you want after the liberation of Palestine."

 What could go wrong?