For the first time since it was designated as a space for Conservative and Reform worshippers, the southern expanse of the Western Wall hosted an Orthodox prayer service on Tuesday, with a temporary barrier set up to separate men and women.

The service was presided over by Shlomo Amar, the chief rabbi of Jerusalem and former chief Sephardi rabbi. The delegation of worshippers was accompanied to the site by police.

Leaders of non-Orthodox movements in Israel were shocked to learn that their temporarily designated egalitarian prayer space had been taken over by Orthodox worshippers.