Despite the opposition of the Muslim Waqf, the Cave of the Patriarchs will become accessible to disabled visitors in approximately 6 months.
By Nosson Shulman: Licensed Tour Guide of VIP Israel Tours & Authentic Virtual Tours (click here to check out his free trailer videos)
Moshe Cohen* is an observant Jew who loves to visit holy sites. One of the biblical sites he’s dreamt of visiting for years is Hebron’s Cave of the Patriarch (the burial spot of Adam, Eve, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob and Leah). Unfortunately, he has never been able to visit since he is confined to a wheelchair and unable to climb the steep stairs needed to enter. However, that is about to change because in only 6 months, a new elevator (currently under construction) will be complete. He is counting down the days when he can finally visit the graves of his righteous ancestors!
This historic move will make this building compliant with Israel’s “Equal Rights for People with Disabilities Law” which mandates that all public structures be fully accessible to the disabled. However, due to Judah and Samaria (which includes Hebron) being under the auspices of the Ministry of Defense (as opposed to the rest of Israel which is run by Israel’s civilian government), the law has not been applied to the Cave of the Patriarchs until now (for more on this special site, click here).
The beginning of the construction phase follows 6 years of bureaucratic and legal hurdles (together with political indecisiveness) which had left the project in limbo until this very week. In addition, the failed 1997 Hebron Accords (which gave the Palestinian Authority (PA) control of 80% of the city) made approval of such projects dependent on permission from the (PA run) Hebron Municipality. For many years, the city refused to meet with Israeli officials. After years of refusing to cooperate, COGAT (the Israeli body which runs civilian life in Judah and Samaria (aka West Bank)) issued an ultimatum; either participate in good faith or Israel would declare eminent domain. After the ultimatum was ignored, Defense Minister Benny Gantz gave authorization to begin construction. To pay for this holy undertaking, the Israeli government recently allocated 2.5 million shekels.
This sacred site (the second holiest in Judaism) has a special place in Jewish history (indeed an entire chapter in Genesis (23) is dedicated to this abode). Since the Patriarchs were buried here some 4000 years ago, Jews from all over the world have come to pray here. More than 2000 years ago, King Herod built the massive structure which sits atop the burial cave (the world’s oldest still-standing building being used for the same purpose for which it was constructed). In the 1300s, the Muslim authorities banned Jews and Christians from entering the building (a decree which lasted until 1967 when Israel liberated Hebron and allowed worshippers of all faiths to enter the site). Since 1997, the majority of the building has been under the auspices of the Muslim Wafq, which strictly bans non-Muslims from entering the sections under their control. Jewish and Christian visitors are restricted to certain sections of the building (which today houses several synagogues).
Though construction represents a significant victory for the disabled (and their advocates), not everyone is pleased. The Palestinian Authority has falsely claimed that making this plot more wheelchair friendly is an impediment to the peace process (this theory has since been debunked as Morocco, Sudan, UAE and Bahrain have subsequently normalized relations with Israel). In 2019, a record 1 million people visited this holy city (for more on Hebron, click here) and it expected that the numbers will increase annually after Israel’s skies re-open!
*Name has been changed
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Nosson Shulman is a journalist and Licensed Tour Guide in Israel specializing in Biblical tours. To allow tourists to experience Israel during the Corona era, he created the new hit Israel tour video series which brings Israel to the home of viewers by simulating actual tours. To check out his free sneak preview tour videos, click here. To view sample tour itineraries or to inquire about private tour opportunities with a personalized itinerary on your next trip to Israel, click here.
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