Woman arrested for protesting in underwear at Western Wall

Police arrest 35-year-old woman for protesting in her underwear at the Jerusalem holy site.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

Israeli Police detained a 35-year-old woman at the Western Wall Plaza in Jerusalem wearing only her underwear on Sunday morning, the police announced.

The woman, a resident of Jerusalem, was wearing a bra and underpants and written the word “Bibi” on her thigh. Bibi is a nickname of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The woman was likely protesting a proposal by the religious Shas party to ban mixed-gender prayer groups and immodest dress at the holy site.

On Thursday, the party sparked controversy by proposing to make immodest dress at the Western Wall Plaza punishable by up to six months in prison and a fine of up to 10,000 shekels ($2,800). Netanyahu said the proposal would not be advanced and Shas backtracked.

Chief Rabbi of the Western Wall Shmuel Rabinovitch said in a statement on Sunday that he felt “Deep shock and pain at the despicable provocation” of “trampling the sanctity of the place and hurting the feelings of the public and worshipers.”

“The Western Wall is sacred to every Jew and Jewess, and it must be left undivided and outside of all controversy and provocation,” the statement added.

The Western Wall is the last remaining part of a retaining wall surrounding the Temple Mount that was destroyed by the Romans.