Avi Maoz is in the news for pushing ultra-religious policies in Israel’s Knesset, as leader of the far-right Noam party.
Israeli lawmakers voted to give the Chief Rabbinate full authority over prayer at the Western Wall, threatening the egalitarian section and sparking international criticism. The bill aims to override a recent court ruling supporting non-Orthodox prayer spaces, raising concerns over religious freedom and unity among Jews worldwide. The vote occurred today, February 26, 2026.