Israel okays $35 million to upgrade Western Wall infrastructure, boost tourism

Government ministers approve a NIS 110 million ($35.4 million) plan to upgrade infrastructure at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

The plan aims to encourage more visits to the site by improving public transportation accessibility, developing new educational programs and continuing existing development projects.

The earmarked funds of the plan — brought by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett — come from the budgets of the Prime Minister’s Office, the ministries of defense, finance, education, interior, transportation, tourism, public security, culture and sports, immigration, and science and technology.

“The Western Wall is one of the holiest and most important sites for the Jewish people, and millions of visitors from all over the world visit it regularly. The five-year plan we have just approved in the government will continue to upgrade the infrastructure needed for the site, and will help encourage the arrival of many more visitors,” Bennett says in a statement released by his office.