Avi Maoz headlines US-Israel clashes as his Noam party pushes hardline Biblicist policies; the 1956-born former civil servant leads Noam in Knesset.
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.