A group of about 20 women from the Women of the Wall movement arrived this morning at the Western Wall plaza carrying a Torah scroll for Rosh Chodesh (new month) prayers. Their arrival sparked a sharp clash between worshippers at the site and members of the movement.
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation issued a strongly worded condemnation following the incident, claiming the movement acted in violation of the site’s regulations.
“We condemn the provocation by Women of the Wall in bringing a Torah scroll into the Western Wall plaza contrary to regulations and turning the Western Wall into a site of protest," the foundation said in a statement. “On this day, when the people of Israel commemorate being ‘as one person with one heart’ at Mount Sinai, the Western Wall was disgraced by protests and shouting."
On the other hand, Women of the Wall rejected the accusations, referred to the girls who confronted them as “rioters," and claimed the confrontation was part of an organized effort intended to disrupt their prayers.
MK Avi Maoz responded: “This morning we received another painful reminder of the necessity of the Western Wall Law that I initiated, which will be discussed Wednesday in the Constitution Committee, in order to preserve the sanctity of the remnant of our Holy Temple."