Peres: Court order regarding WoW must be obeyed

After being asked to intercede by both sides, president urges Kotel rabbi to resolve problem in amicable manner.

By GREER FAY CASHMAN
President Shimon Peres in his office 521 (photo credit: Rachel Marder)
President Shimon Peres in his office 521
(photo credit: Rachel Marder)
President Shimon Peres weighed in on Wednesday on the ongoing issue of women praying at the Kotel.
In recent weeks, people from different camps have asked him to intercede either on behalf of the Women of the Wall or on behalf of the ultra- Orthodox men who do not want to hear women’s voices singing and do not want to see women wearing prayer shawls and kippot when they come to worship.
On Wednesday evening, the president’s office issued a statement to the effect that the ruling of the Supreme Court must be honored.
Even so, Peres has expressed interest in resolving the problem in the most amicable manner.
A month ago he spoke to Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, the rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites, and asked him to find a solution that would be acceptable to all concerned, preserving the sanctity and customs of the Western Wall and not offending regular worshipers, while at the same time answering the needs of the women who come each month to pray.
Peres expressed the hope that a mutually satisfactory solution will soon be found and that there will not be needless animosity among different sectors of society.