Ashkelon, Israel – Large police forces are gearing up for possible attempts by ultra-Orthodox to interfere in the planned removal of ancient graves near Ashkelon’s Barzilai Medical Center.
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Some haredi leaders have called on the community to fight the government’s decision to clear the graves and construct a new, fortified emergency room at the site.
“We’ll have to deal with a number of potentially explosive events, including the Jerusalem Day celebrations, the laying of a natural gas pipeline (on lands belonging to Druze) and haredi demonstrations at Jerusalem’s Karta parking lot,” a police official told Ynet on Monday.
According to other police officials, talks are being conducted with haredi leaders in order to prevent any altercations during the removal of the ancient graves.
On Sunday, a special committee established by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided that the graves will be moved soon, possibly as early as next week, (reported here on VIN News).
Sources at the PM’s Office said work at the site will commence once Israel Police say they can secure the removal of the ancient tombs.
The Barzilai ER construction plans were approved more than a year and-a-half ago and can be implemented as soon as the graves are cleared.
The ultra-Orthodox website Behadrei Haredim has called on the haredi public to organize a protest, while the Atra Kadisha organization, which is heading the struggle against the graves’ removal, is coordinating a meeting in Jerusalem to decide on future steps.
Hopefully, the Chareidim will “back down” this time and not force the police and security forces to engage them with force since this time they have indicated they will no longer tolerate the physical violence shown in prior rioting. The decision has been made, even the gadolim acknowledge these bones are from pagans and not yidden and the needs of the living will trump these absurd concerns about moving a gravesite. If the charedim are not careful and don’t show restraint, they will have more to worry about than some goiyeshe bones.
Has anyone thought of building UNDER the graves?
I keep on asking this: at what point can we say that judaism and haredism are two different religions? These people are parasites with two much time on their hands and do not represent me!
Treat them like the violent lawbreakers that they are! The Jewish state cannot permit a Haredi intifada!
The Haredim have to stop rioting and get jobs!!!
The last place I would want to be buried is in israel. They have no respect for the dead. Don’t matter if the dead are Jews, Muslim, or christen, or any kind. Leave the graves alone. Build somewhere else. Let’s see if they would move hertzel or ben gurion or any of the kofrims kevurim for a shull or even for a road or hospital.the only place in the world where a real Jew that fears Ha’shem can’t live. Evan after they are dead. Is in the so called. State of israel. By the Muslims where they hate a Jew with passion they don’t touch the graves. So you tell me about this ugly state of i-s-r-a-e-l. H’rav steinmann or h’rav elyashuv would definitely not want this to happen to their graves
#7 , Israel is a SECULAR STATE and most Jews are secular! The Haredim aren’t contributing anything, they should get jobs and stop trying to force their beliefs on everyone else!
The state is in a real problem here. If they do nothing, the problem will only get worse and the Charedim will control public policy more and more. If they arrest the Charedim, they stand the chance of having a Charedi intifada, which could be devastating.
I really believe that they must act, but they should first act to arrest the leaders of the violent sect of the Charedi world, and any ‘Rav’ who poskins that the Charedim are allowed to break the law in any way, even if they are a Gadol.
The next step would be to offer them free education to bring them into this century, but if they turn it down, then they must be kept separate from the rest of the cities so they cannot riot and destroy. I would hate to see my brothers behind a brick wall, but if they won’t become citizens of the world, then so be it.
if only the police could knock some sense into them during the rioting! all this for non-Jewish bones! who supports these people?
If they’re going to riot and assault the police like terrorists let them be treated like terrorists.
#12 demonstrates the idiocy of some charedim. How is moving graves which arent even Jewish forcing beliefs on anyone? Most people in the country are for moving the graves(including many Haredim). The government shouldnt cater to a few extremist, unemployed Haredim. THAT would be forcing their belief on the majority of the country.
And once again Israel is a SECULAR STATE and most Jews are SECULAR. and since when did secular Jews claim israel was a utopia?!
And #9 , Muslims have moved plenty of graves(so have most countries, your ignorance astounds me)
I don’t understand, the only basis for the Israeli state is because God gave it too the jews. the chilonim, who deny the torah are just legalized robbers and murderers, who force their anti-torah laws on others, by claiming that they have this right because God gave the torah and Israel too the jews. And the chaeidim who have lived on the land for hundreds of years (without the help of the zionists, may I add) have to subjugate themselves to these twisted evil doers Does that make any sense to you?
Who left the message for all New yo daily news commentators to come write their comments here? you ever saw their comments? no need to. they are all here.
If only charedim would start living without zionists help now instead of living off their tax dollars!