Knesset Advances Bill Granting Chief Rabbinate Control Over Western Wall

The Israeli Knesset voted 56-47 on Wednesday to advance a preliminary reading of a bill that would grant the Chief Rabbinate final authority over prayer arrangements at Jewish holy sites, including the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Sponsored by Avi Maoz of the Noam party, the legislation serves as a direct response to a February 19 Supreme Court of Israel ruling that ordered the state to upgrade the Ezrat Yisrael plaza for egalitarian and mixed-gender prayer.

The bill would allow the Chief Rabbinate to define what constitutes desecration at these sites. Under the Protection of Holy Places Law, such conduct could be classified as a criminal offense carrying a penalty of up to seven years in prison. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attempted to distance his government from the measure by canceling a Ministerial Committee for Legislation meeting, he ultimately allowed coalition members to vote freely on the private initiative.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Haredi parties supported the bill as a necessary rebuke to judicial intervention in religious matters. Conversely, progressive Jewish organizations and pluralism advocates condemned the move, arguing it criminalizes the way the majority of Jews pray and alienates Diaspora Jewry, particularly the Reform movement in the United States. The final vote date for the bill has not yet been determined.