JERUSALEM (VINnews) — An attempt was made on Thursday morning to violate regulations at the Western Wall plaza. Thousands of worshippers arrived at the Kotel, starting from sunrise prayers on the eve of Rosh Chodesh Iyar. However, the calm was disrupted when a group from the Women of the Wall allegedly tried to smuggle a Torah scroll inside, in violation of the regulations.

According to footage circulated from the incident, the attempt was carried out using an elderly disabled woman with a walker, apparently under the assumption that her security checks would be less strict.

הפרגוד: נשות הכותל ניסו להבריח ספר תורה לרחבה. pic.twitter.com/MJ55tx75tn

— הפרגוד (@moshepargod) April 16, 2026

The Western Wall Heritage Foundation emphasized that beyond the breach of regulations, this constituted cynical exploitation of people with disabilities in order to create a media provocation.

The Foundation stated: “During the morning, a very small group from Women of the Wall acted in violation of a Supreme Court ruling that allows them to come on 11 Rosh Chodesh days. They arrived at the Western Wall plaza while blatantly violating the established regulations, and even attempted to bring in a Torah scroll by cynically exploiting an elderly woman using a walker. This constitutes a serious offense against the sanctity of the site and the dignity of the Torah scroll, in an attempt to create provocation and exploit the disabled community.

The Western Wall Heritage Foundation views any attempt to harm the sanctity of the site with great severity and will continue to act to preserve order and proper respect at the Western Wall plaza.”

In response, Women of the Wall said: “This is a troubling escalation of selective and aggressive enforcement. The Western Wall Heritage Foundation behaves as if it owns the holiest site for the Jewish people, confiscating private property and disrespecting a Torah scroll. The attempt to prevent us from praying with a Torah scroll according to our custom, even when we agree to move to the egalitarian section, proves that the goal is not public order, but rather the silencing and exclusion of women.”