MK Miri Regev
MK Miri RegevIsrael news photo: Flash 90

The Head of the Knesset's Committee of Internal Affairs and Environment, MK Miri Regev (Likud), fired off a letter Thursday to Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, following her announcement that she would not let Religious Affairs Minister Naftali Bennett issue regulations for Kotel prayer as part of a compromise with the Women of the Wall.

MK Regev asked Minister Livni to let Minister Bennett issue the regulations, which could end the fighting over the Women of the Wall's demands to be allowed to pray in their style, even before a special area for non-Orthodox prayer is prepared at Robinson's Arch.

"On Rosh Hodesh Sivan," writes Regev, "I was present at the Kotel in order to witness from up close the way the different streams conduct themselves at the Kotel, including the Women of the Wall.

"There was violence and disruption there (and I will convene a session of the Committee of Internal Affairs to discuss this). Despite attempts by the Kotel Rabbi, the Commander of the Jerusalem District and representatives of the Jerusalem Municipality, it was hard to calm the sides down.

"In preparation for Rosh Hodesh Tammuz (June 8, 2013), an arrangement must be reached in order to avoid sights such as these."

"Madam Justice Minister, I believe that it would be wrong to throw a spanner in the works of an arrangement. It is proper and right that the Kotel be kept apart from all disagreement, discord and discontent. Continued sparring on this subject and the lack of a proper solution that respects and balances all sides will, G-d forbid, lead to disturbances and to bloodshed as well."

"I will be thankful to you if you accept the arrangement and assist the Minister for Religious Services in furthering the regulations that will make it possible, on the one hand, for the Women of the Wall to pray according to their custom in a free and safe way, and on the other hand, to protect the basic right of the religious and traditional public in Israel and the world to pray in accordance with the custom of our forefathers, freely and without having their feelings hurt, so that scenes like those we witness in the past few weeks will not be repeated."