The Knesset on Wednesday approved in a preliminary reading the Western Wall bill proposed by Avi Maoz, chairman of the Noam party. The bill passed by a vote of 56 in favor and 47 against.
Under the proposal, any conduct at holy sites that contravenes rulings of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel would be defined as desecration of a holy site, a criminal offense carrying a potential penalty of up to seven years in prison.
The bill will now move to committee for drafting ahead of its first reading. It has sparked controversy, primarily over whether its provisions would extend to the Temple Mount.
Maoz dismissed claims that the legislation would criminalize visits to the Temple Mount, calling them unfounded. He argued that the Mount is not included on the list of holy sites under the Chief Rabbinate’s authority.
By contrast, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir told party colleagues that the law would indeed apply to the Temple Mount. “This is a huge law that will allow further enormous changes on the Temple Mount," he said.
Ben-Gvir added that if the Western Wall law passes and the Temple Mount is recognized as a holy site under the rulings, it would lead to “the automatic shutdown of Arab schools on the Mount, the football games, and historic changes."
Coalition sources speaking to Maariv said there is no intention to turn Jewish visits to the Temple Mount into a criminal offense, adding that if necessary, this would be clarified explicitly in the bill’s language.
Among the options being considered is revising the definition of desecration so it would be determined according to Orthodox Jewish law, rather than directly based on rulings of the Chief Rabbinate.