Kotel Foundation complaint against Women of the Wall activists
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation, the administrator of the holy site, filed a complaint with the police on Thursday against 10 activists of the Women of the Wall alleging assault.
Members of “The Women of the Wall”, the organization whose goal is to secure the rights of women to pray at the Western Wall, praying for the new Jewish month of Elul. Jerusalem, Aug 9, 2021. Photo by Shalev Shalom/TPS
The Foundation stated that a small group of about 10 women from the organization arrived at the Western Wall plaza on Thursday morning, and attacked the Western Wall security guards.
The Women of the Wall clash with the Orthodox majority at the holy site on a monthly basis. While there is a designated area for egalitarian prayer, the activists demand to hold their prayer sessions in the midst of the plaza used by the Orthodox majority, which they say harms their religious feelings, thus generating clashes and friction at the site on a monthly basis.
These clashes occur on a monthly basis, usually during the beginning of the new Hebrew month, which was last marked on Friday. However, the Foundation does not regularly file a complaint against the alleged offenders.
Responding to the incident, Member of Knesset Avi Maoz (Religious Zionism) stated that “the Reform Movement is under pressure as it sees that the government that agreed to everything it wants is crumbling. The people of Israel will not agree to the division of the Western Wall in any way. With the formation of a new government, we will once again place my bill that will give the exclusive authority for determining the customs and prayers of the Western Wall to the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.”
