I am astonished at the exaggerated statements concerning the sacredness of the Wall. Judaism has very few places that are considered sacred. Looked at objectively, the Kotel, after all, is not a wall of the Temple at all. It is a retaining wall created in order to enlarge the top of the mountain and provide a large platform for the glorified Temple that Herod wanted to create. That makes it extremely important logistically, but does not make it holy, and therefore we should be wary of what philosopher Yeshayahu Leibowitz called “Kotelatry.” […]

The battles now waging concerning the Kotel are important because they are part of the struggle for religious pluralism and religious freedom for Jews in the State of Israel.

They have nothing to do with the holiness of the place and everything to do with doing away with a monopoly on Judaism that is a stain on Israeli democracy.