‘’The event with the Jewish Agency Board of Governors at the Knesset has been cancelled,’’ reads an updated agenda of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu distributed by his office.

The update followed a decision by the Jewish Agency's Board of Governors to change its entire agenda for the remaining two days of its meetings in Jerusalem, including a planned dinner with the Prime Minister, to address the ramifications of the government’s decision to freeze progress on plans to construct an egalitarian section at the Western Wall.

Jewish leaders, mostly from the United States, were furious over the government’s move, slamming it as a “slap in the face” and a violation of a commitment they had received from the prime minister.

The Jewish Agency's summer board meetings drew hundreds of Jewish leaders from around the world to Jerusalem, and marked 50 years since Jerusalem’s reunification.

The decision to create an egalitarian prayer space at the Western Wall was approved by the government in early 2016, but was never implemented due to pressure exerted by the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) parties.

As part of the historic compromise which was reached at the time between the liberal and orthodox religious movements, it was decided to build a pluralistic plaza at the holy site which would guarantee full freedom of religion for all people and allow for egalitarian prayer with the active participation of both men and women.

Since its liberation in 1967, the Western Wall has been run by the rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites in accordance with the law. Due to its religious nature and the rabbis’ control over it, the site adopted orthodox practices over the years, just like a synagogue.

Protocol at the wall sees a complete separation between men and women in the prayer plaza, and women are forbidden to perform mitzvot (commandments) that are considered to be reserved exclusivesly for men, such as wearing tefillin, wearing a prayer shawls annd leading prayer services.