A bill proposed by the Shas party on Thursday that would make it a criminal offense to wear non-tznius clothing or play musical instruments at the Kosel caused an uproar -both among the opposition and the coalition.

Shas proposed the bill on the background of an appeal to the Supreme Court filed by the Women of the Wall group to implement the “Kotel Plan” which would allocate an egalitarian prayer area at the Kosel. The Supreme Court hearing is scheduled to take place next week, on February 16.

The bill imposes penalties, including a six-month prison sentence or a fine of NIS 10,000 for anyone violating the customary religious practices at the Kosel, which would be determined by the Rabbanut and the Kosel Rav. The bill is intended to prevent the provocative ceremonies carried out by the Women of the Wall group every Rosh Chodesh.

Violations include mixed tefillos and playing musical instruments,among other things, as well as carrying out certain ceremonies in the women’s section such as Kriyas HaTorah, wearing a tallis, or donning tefillin.

The proposed bill was met with outrage, with even some Chareidim decrying the bill. The Kikar H’Shabbat website published an article condemning the law, saying it would simply increase the chillul of the Kosel by fueling further provocative protests and giving progressive groups ammunition for “unlimited power throughout the world.”

Later on Thursday, it was reported that the Shas party backtracked, saying it will remove the penalties of imprisonment and fines from the bill. A bit later, it was reported that the bill will be shelved altogether, with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu saying that the “status quo at the Kotel will be maintained as it is today. I have also talked with my friends, the party leaders, and it is accepted by all that the law will not be brought to the table now. Even if it will be brought, the clauses imposing criminal charges that were written 40 years ago [when the bill was first proposed] that aren’t acceptable to anyone, will not be included. Therefore, the Kotel will remain exactly as it is today.”

The Shas party said in response: “We welcome the Prime Minister’s announcement that the status quo at the Kotel will be maintained as it has been until today. The Kotel does not need any law. The majority of the Jewish people respect the kedushat hamakom, except for the women of provocation who never cease to turn it into a political battlefield – all with the protection of the Supreme Court.”

“The law in essence is the preservation of the status quo. We were forced to submit it after the Supreme Court announced that it would not allow any postponement of the hearing. After the Prime Minister informed the heads of the political parties today that he intends to submit a response which means the hearing will be postponed, we agreed to remove the law.

“Shas never intended to impose criminal penalties on clothing or musical instruments at the Kotel. This is cheap demagoguery. These clauses are a copy of the Kotel regulations from 1980 and they would have been removed by the committee. Shas will continue to protect the kedushah of the Kotel and the right of every secular, traditional, religious, and Chareidi Jew to pray at the kodesh place according to minhag hamakom.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)