TO APRIL 9
Israeli opposition leader Benny Gantz received a standing ovation as he told a Washington, DC audience that the Western Wall is long enough to accommodate everyone.
In a key policy speech designed to introduce himself to American Jewish audiences, the leader of the Blue & White political alliance made a call for unity among different streams of Judaism.
Speaking at the Aipac conference, he described himself as a “future leader of Israel” but warned that divisive dialogue “is shredding the fabric that holds us together”.
Mr Gantz, a former IDF chief of staff, is the main political rival to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of next month’s Israeli general election.
“In Bergen-Belsen, no-one asked who is Reform, who is Conservative, who is Orthodox, or who is secular,” Mr Gantz told the audience in English.
“Before going into battle, I never checked to see who had kippah under their helmets.
“As a proud owner of the red beret worn by the liberator of the Kotel, I can tell you with confidence that the Western Wall is long enough to accommodate everyone, everyone.”
Progressive Jewish groups in the United States have led calls for a separate, mixed-gender prayer space at the main Western Wall plaza, which is currently gender-segregated.
But although a smaller egilatarian prayer area has been opened further south along the Temple Mount, Orthodox groups have rebuffed calls for a space in the main plaza.
On security issues, Mr Gantz appeared to reinforce positions already expressed by the Israeli Prime Minister.
There would be be no concessions in Jerusalem and the Golan Heights would not be relinquished, he said, adding that the Jordan River would remain Israel's eastern security border.
Mr Netanyahu was himself due to address the Aipac conference on Tuesday, but he cancelled and returned to Israel following after a rocket fired from Gaza struck a home in the central Israeli village of Mishmeret.
