that was to support the house next to
it while it (the arch) was being built.
Once the arch was up and dry, the
prop was superfluous.
Despite the fact that the props
were actually useless for almost
40 years and did not support the
building, at least one Arab newspaper
condemned their removal and blamed
“Jewish extremist worshipers” for
an action that was liable to cause the
building to collapse.
In 1972, Rav Meir Yehuda Getz, z”l,
the Rav of the Kosel, was in the lower
level of the Kosel HaKatan area, as
the digging of the Tunnels was taking
place. He heard very loud knocking
coming from above. On going up
to see what had caused the noise,
to his horror he found city workers
driving beams directly into the Wall
in order to support the condemned
Arab house that had become unstable,
either due to the dig or because
of water gathered below it.
Mayor Teddy Kollek had decided
that this house had to be saved, no
matter what. (This, as opposed to
the buildings adjoining the Kosel,
which were razed immediately after the
that you enter to reach the Kosel
HaKatan is a large, green gate
manned by policemen. This gate is
called Shaar Habarzel (the Iron Gate
or Bab al-Hadid). Through the open
wooden gate, you may catch a glimpse
of Har HaBayis. The heart bleeds at
beholding the makom haMikdash in
such desolation. Seeing it so close up
brings the reality of galus