Efforts to torpedo the mixed prayer plaza plan at the Western Wall continued Sunday, as Religious Services Minister David Azoulay (Shas) resigned from the committee tasked with overseeing the plaza's expansion.
The expansion is part of Israel's attempt to resolve the deep dispute between the government and non-Orthodox streams of Judaism over the issue of egalitarian prayer at the holy site. The dispute was triggered by the government's decision to cancel a plan to build a new egalitarian prayer plaza at the Western Wall.
Two weeks ago, Culture and Sport Minister Miri Regev was removed from her position as head of the Ministerial Committee for Holy Places after she said her "conscience" would not allow her to support expanding the existing egalitarian prayer plaza at the site.
Last week, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked buckled under pressure from haredi and religious Zionist rabbis and followed suit.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized both for refusing to back his plan and announced he would lead the efforts to see the plan through himself.
While the committee now comprises only Netanyahu and National Infrastructure Minister Yuval Steinitz, the prime minister called a meeting Sunday where the two were briefed by the Israel Antiquities Authority.
However, Netanyahu and Steinitz could not make any decisions to promote the plaza's expansion since a replacement has not yet been named for Azoulay.
Azoulay's resignation from the committee was said to follow extensive pressure by ultra-Orthodox groups, especially the Leeba Center, whose mission is to "strengthen the Jewish identity of the State of Israel."
The center reportedly had former Sephardi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar, currently the chief rabbi of Jerusalem, personally contact Azoulay on the issue.
Leeba officials have now set their sights on Steinitz: The group has asked Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit to order Steinitz to recuse himself from the committee, citing a conflict of interests, as in the past Steinitz has received campaign donations from the Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism in Israel.
Leeba welcomed Azoulay's decision and urged Netanyahu to shelve his plan.
"We expect the prime minister, who in the pasts has stated that the goal of the Reform movement in pushing the Western Wall formwork is to be recognized by the state, to stop the attempts to give gifts to those who cooperate with the extreme Left and the BDS [boycott, divestment and sanctions] movement that openly act against the state and against the prime minister himself," the center said in a statement.
The Conservative movement denounced the move, saying, " Azoulay's resignation from the committee proves that he is not worthy of assuming any responsibility for the holy places in Israel."
