Noam Party Leader Blames Coalition for Provocations at Western Wall

Avi Maoz, chairman of the Noam party, sharply criticized coalition leaders for failing to complete legislation regulating conduct at the Western Wall, which he says has led to recurring provocations by Women of the Wall. On Wednesday morning, Women of the Wall arrived at the Western Wall with a Torah scroll, an event Maoz attended and condemned as a desecration of the holy site. He stated that the ongoing disturbances are the responsibility of the Prime Minister and coalition members, including ultra-Orthodox and Religious Zionist representatives, who have not passed his proposed Western Wall Law.

Maoz’s bill, which passed a preliminary reading, aims to amend the law protecting holy sites by granting the Chief Rabbinate exclusive authority over prayer arrangements and conduct at the Western Wall. The legislation seeks to prevent the Supreme Court from intervening in these matters and to legally enshrine the Rabbinate’s control over the site’s sanctity.

The Western Wall Heritage Foundation accused Women of the Wall of turning the plaza into a protest site, violating court orders by bringing a Torah scroll to the area. The foundation expressed regret over escalating tensions and called for an end to demonstrations, emphasizing that the Western Wall is not a place for shouting or provocations.

Women of the Wall responded by claiming they were surrounded and harassed by opponents who shouted, cursed, and pushed them, with police intervening to remove some of the aggressors. The foundation also noted that the event coincided with the Hebrew month of Av, commemorating the death of Aaron the Priest, a figure associated with peace, urging respect for the site’s sanctity in line with Jewish tradition.

The controversy highlights ongoing tensions over religious authority and gender roles at one of Judaism’s holiest sites, with no resolution yet as the proposed law remains incomplete.