The Knesset Interior Committee has convened once again, and once again Chairwoman Miri Regev placed the perilous situation at Har HaZeisim high on the agenda. Regev is having a hard time understanding why police are not acting as required and why nothing is changing for the better – towards providing security for visitors to Har HaZeisim as well as for the beis hachaim against vandals.
Back in November 2013, Avrohom Lubinsky, who serves as Chairman of the International Committee for the Preservation of Har HaZeisim, documented that the police station on Har HaZeisim was closed, literally locked, despite Israel Police promises for stepped up patrols and a continued presence.
Sadly, nothing has changed for the better since that meeting and more Jews have been attacked by Arabs trying to kill them by hurling stones at them.
Attending the special session on Tu B’Shevat were representatives of Israel Police, Ministry of Religious Services, Ministry of Housing, Jerusalem City Hall, Foreign Ministry, Tourism Ministry, Interior Ministry, the Jerusalem Development Company, Justice Ministry, Movement for Jerusalem & its Residents, Ateret Kohanim, Vaad to Protect Har HaZeisim and the Council of Cemeteries.
Shas’ Nissim Ze’ev, Yahadut Hatorah’s Uri Maklev and others had harsh words for police inaction, citing the department’s failures in protecting the holy site and visitors to the area. Yitzchak Cohen, a Jerusalem resident who visited his son’s kever earlier in the week detailed the rock attacks against him. He explained that he phoned police as he and his children were being showered with stones. He told the committee that police did arrive, 40 minutes later. Cohen explained that as a result of those attacks the remaining family members will not be visiting the kever for the yahrzeit as planned.
Tzion District Police Commander Amnon Elkalai explained he is working to set up a station in the area, citing how he and his men are working “Day and night to protect Har HaZeisim”. He explained “it is not up to us alone”.
Miri called for the next meeting in the beginning of March at which time she hopes to hear of concrete plans from police as to how visitors will be protected. She called for establishing a subcommittee to address the matter of Har HaZeisim weekly, and that effort will be chaired by Rav Yisrael Eichler. Miri wants that subcommittee to document and address the stone-throwing attacks and she calls on Public Security Minister Yitzchak Aharonovich to attend the meeting in March.
Hillel Horowitz, who represents the Council of Cemeteries, took a step towards pressuring agencies to act. He has moved his office to Har HaZeisim in protest of the deplorable reality that exists, particular on the road leading up to Har HaZeisim known as “Tzir Atur”, where visitors are often attacked.
Horowitz was appointed to his position a number of months ago by Deputy Minister of Religious Services Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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One Response
I do not subscribe to the acts of the neutering karta however when I read a story such as this, I understand full well why modern day Zionism is contrary to Torah beliefs and is a movement inspired by evil people.