Five women were arrested at the Western Wall on Thursday morning, just two days after a breakthrough meeting on how to resolve tensions at the site.

An estimated 200 women attended the monthly service held by women's rights group Women of the Wall and five were arrested for attempting to wear tallitot, including the group’s director Lesley Sachs.

Natan Sharansky, chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), is due to present a plan for an egalitarian section at the Western Wall to American Jewish leaders today, The Forward has reported.

Transcript of President Barack Obama's speech to Israeli students in Jerusalem - March 21 2013

“Well, it is a great honor to be with you here in Jerusalem, and I’m so grateful for the welcome that I’ve received from the people of Israel. Thank you. I bring with me the support of the American people - and the friendship that binds us together.

Anat Hoffman, Women of the Wall chair and executive director of the Israel Religious Action Centre, says “the bravest feminists in Israel today are Orthodox women who are willing to fight.”

Ms Hoffman praised the Orthodox women “who call us to confront the rabbis who seem to be above the law” and to challenge the “hegemony of strictly Orthodox interpretation of women.”

As Prince Charles tours the Middle East this week, he will be once again following in the footsteps of one of his predecessors in the role. But while Jerusalem does not feature on his itinerary this time, when the future King Edward VII embarked on his tour of the region 151 years ago, the Holy Land was high on his agenda.

An Israeli university is one of only two institutions in the Middle East to appear on an annual list of the top 100 universities around the world.

Hebrew University of Jerusalem was named in the 71-80 category – rankings beyond 50 are grouped in tens - of the annual Times Higher Education world reputation rankings.