Tensions erupted Thursday morning at the Western Wall plaza following an attempt to violate site regulations.
Thousands of worshippers gathered from sunrise for prayers ahead of the eve of the new Jewish month of Iyar, but the calm was disrupted when a small group from the "Women of the Wall" organization arrived and attempted to bring a Torah scroll into the plaza in violation of the rules.
Footage from the scene showed that the attempt was carried out using an elderly disabled woman with a walker, apparently under the assumption that her security checks would be less stringent.
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation emphasized that beyond the violation of regulations, the act was a cynical exploitation of people with disabilities for the purpose of creating a media provocation.
"A very small group from the ‘Women of the Wall’ acted this morning in violation of a Supreme Court ruling and in blatant breach of the regulations at the Western Wall plaza, and even attempted to bring a Torah scroll into the Western Wall plaza while cynically exploiting an elderly woman using a walker - an act that severely harms the sanctity of the site and disrespects the Torah scroll, in an attempt to create provocations and exploit the disabled community," the Foundation said in a statement.
"We view this incident with great severity and will continue to act decisively to preserve public order and the proper respect for the holy site."
Women of the Wall responded: "This represents a troubling escalation of selective and aggressive enforcement. The Western Wall Heritage Foundation behaves as if it owns the holiest site for the Jewish people, confiscating private property and desecrating a Torah scroll. The attempt to prevent us from praying with a Torah scroll in our customary way - even when we agree to move to the egalitarian section - proves that the goal is not public order, but the silencing and exclusion of women."