At the direct order of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, a session of the Knesset’s Ministerial Committee for Legislation scheduled for Sunday morning was canceled in order to block the advancement of a bill to preserve the kedusha of the Kosel, including the southern section.

The bill, proposed by Noam chairman Avi Moaz, would amend the existing Protection of Holy Spaces law to formalize the status of the entire Kosel site by defining it as a tefilla area under the sole authority of Israel’s Chief Rabbanut to determine tefilla arrangements—effectively banning non-halachic prayer throughout the entire Kosel complex. This would mean the end of tefillos held at the Kosel by Reform groups every Rosh Chodesh and would stymie the Supreme Court’s directive last week to establish a permanent tefilla plaza for Reform groups at the Kosel’s southern plaza.

Following the cancellation of the meeting, Maoz issued a statement that he plans on privately bringing the bill for a preliminary vote in the Knesset on Wednesday. “I call on all Knesset members to vote for the sheleimus of the Kosel and against the Supreme Court and the Bennett plan for the Kosel’s division,” he wrote.

Netanyahu’s move reportedly comes amid significant pressure from Reform organizations in the United States. The Prime Minister’s Office did not provide an official response to the reason for the cancellation. The decision created a political storm, arousing the ire of many coalition members.

Justice and Religious Services Minister Yariv Levin slammed the cancellation of the meeting, stating, “Following my statement on Thursday supporting the Kosel Law, I announced my intention to bring the bill to a vote in the Ministerial Committee for Legislation. Just minutes ago, I was informed by the Government Secretariat that the committee meeting has been canceled.”

“In this situation there is no official government position (due to the cancellation of the meeting). Therefore, I intend to vote in favor of the bill in the Knesset plenum. I call on all Knesset members, especially coalition members, to do the same and to tell the Supreme Court—enough is enough.”

Coalition chairman MK Ofir Katz clarified that if the bill is brought to a preliminary reading on Wednesday, coalition members will be given the opportunity to vote according to their conscience, a relatively unusual step on sensitive issues with political and international implications.

Channel 14 journalist Yinon Magal outlined the behind-the-scenes developments:

1. Following the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Kosel, Minister Levin planned to bring the Protection of Holy Spaces bill for a vote in the Ministerial Committee.

2.  Netanyahu asked him not to move forward due to heavy pressure from Reform groups in the United States.

3. Levin refused and insisted on proceeding.

4. In a highly unusual step, the prime minister canceled the meeting.

5. It was subsequently decided that the bill would be submitted Wednesday as a private bill by MK Avi Maoz.

6.  It is expected to pass with the support of the MKs from all of the coalition parties—allowing the legislation to advance while enabling Netanyahu to tell Reform leaders that the matter was ‘not within his control.

On Thursday, Supreme Court justices Yitzchak Amit, Noam Sohlberg, and Daphne Barak-Erez ordered the state to implement a plan to transform the Ezrat Yisrael plaza into a permanent prayer plaza of roughly 900 square meters—about 70% the size of the main men’s plaza.

According to the plan, the area will be paved with permanent stone, be expanded to directly adjoin the main Kosel area, and mixed-gender prayer without a mechitza will be allowed at the site. Management of the area would be entrusted to the Reform and Conservative movements—funded by the state at a cost of millions of shekels annually.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)