Yes, mostly. There has been prayer at the western wall for over 1000 years that we know, have records for. It appears from what I can recall that the prayer was not slways in the current orthodox fashion, though, but mixed ( Benjamin of Toleda, etc). Nevertheless, as you point out these protesters are ( my wording) bringing shame on themselves by not respecting the established mode or mores for prayer at the wall. You don’t go somewhere and”demand” they pray the way you like. You watch or ask how they pray so that you can respect and not disrupt, disturb the prayers. But that’s not all that’s wrong with this bunch of “protesters!”, Their very claims about the wall are false to begin with! Yes, false. To wit, Israel already provides an “egalitarian” prayer area at the wall. And the Israeli government is expanding that area, too.— even now after this, imho, sickening public display of hostile or at least highly inappropriate behavior. So, what do we really have — but a bunch of “demanding protesters” without a cause, hell-bent on making as much noise and fostering as much dissection as possible. Hardly the kind of behavior we’d welcome in our homes, that’s for sure. (And yes, some of them are, as you say, otherwise unfriendly to the Jewish people, too. What is not always understood is the simple and very unfortunate fact that the Jewish people have always ( at least since Sinai) had, been afflicted with some loud and disruptive persons in their midst, people who seek to hurt the Jewish people inside- out. They will even make up lies or slanders like this, and worse at times too.). Anyone familiar with Jerusalem knows the basic falsity of their claim. Yes, prayer is in the Jewish manner at the wall but Israel has also provided a mixed sex section and Israel is expanding that area, too, right now as we type Beyond that, there’s very little to say. I’m personally glad Israel seeks to accommodate everybody she can, most other places of prayer are/can not be nearly as accommodating - and almost none would continue to welcome loud, disruptive “protesters” who only bring shame on themselves, imho.
There were always people coming and saying Psalms and personal prayers. No partition is needed for that.
Now that there are formal community prayers (Shachris, Mincha, Maariv), these prayers were mandated to be separate since they were enacted thousands of years ago.
That’s the important difference. There was never formal prayer and no one would have thought to have mixed communal prayer there before.
” So, what do we really have — but a bunch of “demanding protesters” without a cause, hell-bent on making as much noise and fostering as much dissection as possible. Hardly the kind of behavior we’d welcome in our homes, that’s for sure. “
Very well said. Agree fully with that part.