Israel’s AG accepts Women of the Wall court decision; Bennett and Hoffman meet

(JTA) — Israel’s attorney general will not appeal a court decision favoring Women of the Wall to the Supreme Court.

Last month, the Jerusalem District Court ruled that Women of the Wall — a group of women who pray monthly at the Western Wall — were not breaking the law by conducting their service. Members of the group have been routinely arrested or detained in recent months for wearing prayer shawls at the wall, a practice that prior to the ruling had been considered a violation of Israeli law requiring respect for “local custom” at the site.

According to a statement released on Monday by the office of Israel’s attorney general, Yehuda Weinstein, “the attorney general has decided, in consultation with the state attorney, to not appeal the ruling in the Supreme Court.”

Weinstein’s statement also said that Religious Services Minister Naftali Bennett, of the Modern Orthodox Jewish Home Party, would be formulating proposed amendments to the “local custom” law. 

In addition, Haaretz reported that the Jerusalem Police have decided not to interfere with Women of the Wall’s upcoming service for the new Hebrew month, set to take place on Friday morning. 

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