The state has responded to the High Court of Justice regarding the egalitarian prayer are area near the Kosel pertaining to a petition filed by the Women of the Wall (WoW). Shas leader Interior Minister Aryeh Deri has learned of the state’s true response and is reportedly furious.

The women are calling on the nation’s highest court to end the religious discrimination and permit them to bring a Sefer Torah into the ezras noshim of the Kosel, not the egalitarian prayer area. Differences of opinion compelled the state to request an additional two days to submit its response, and the court has given the state until Wednesday, 20 Adar-II to do so.

Deri has asked the cabinet secretary to see the state’s response to the court, but he was not given a copy. However, he managed to get hold of a draft copy of the response, which appears to ignore some of the demands made by the chareidi parties pertaining to the religious status quo. In fact, despite signaling to the chareidi parties that he will amend the recent advances made by the Reform, the state’s response is that the agreement stands as it is and the state has no objections to the arrangement. The response adds that PM Netanyahu has appointed a committee headed by the director-general of his office to see to it that the new agreement is implemented as it should be.

According to reports, Deri spoke with PM Netanyahu on Monday evening in the Knesset plenum and cafeteria, making it clear there is no “understanding” whatsoever and the current arrangement it unacceptable as the chareidi parties have indicated to be the case.

According to a Kikar Shabbos News report, Deri told his chareidi colleagues that “it is as if nothing happened in recent weeks. It is the exact same agreement”.

PM Netanyahu reportedly told Deri on Monday evening he was not aware of the state’s response and Deri responded “It is unacceptable that this is the response of the cabinet for it is not representative of our position. We are firmly opposed to presenting such a response”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)