Officials of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) on Thursday, 21 Teves 5773 filed a complaint with police following another vandalism attack at the Kever of David HaMelech on Har Tzion in Yerushalayim. The damage is reported to be “extensive” and in some areas, “irreparable” according to IAA officials. Most of the ceramic work around the tziyun was destroyed, Israel Radio reports. Officials report that some of the areas damaged contained tiling dating back to the 17th Century.
Israel Police are not convinced, telling the press one cannot assume the damage is the result of vandalism. It is unclear exactly what police believe caused the damage. IAA officials appear certain – attributing the extensive damage to a vandalism attack.
Last month a chareidi male in his 30s was arrested as a result of police passing by the tziyun and hearing smashing noise. When they probed the situation they found the man and a colleague using a hammer and tools to smash the tiling. One man fled and was not apprehended. The suspect taken into custody was charged. The suspect explained he came to daven for a shidduch and when he arrived, another man told him that his tefilos must be directed at the original stones and the porcelain tiles are blocking them. They then began smashing the tiling.
According to Rabbi Yosef Schwinger, who heads The National Center for the Development of Holy Places, there is a “cult of lunatics” that remains committed to destroying the tziyun of David HaMelech, and the rabbi believes the man taken into custody last month is affiliated with the cult. Rabbi Schwinger adds that following the last attack he requested that police set up a substation in the Mt. Tzion area and change the door of the tziyun, but these steps were not taken as of the time of this report.
The state, Jerusalem Municipality and IAA five years ago invested millions of NIS as part of an effort to spruce up the holy site in the hope of attracting more visitors.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
can some one tell me why on earth would a chareidi man or men want to destroy holy Jewish sites?
“Israel Police are not convinced, telling the press one cannot assume the damage is the result of vandalism. ”
Oh really, so what is the destruction of property which is not yours called?
What a shame that there are such sick people out there who have no regard for our mekomos hakedoshim. Who goes to a kever to daven and then desecrates the kever because some shoyta tells him his tefillos would be better heard?! Makes no sense.
We were at Kever David Hamelech last month, and quite frankly, I preferred the old tziyun. The avira was more conducive to davening and it was also easier to find. (We had to ask 5 people for directions because it wasn’t clearly marked.)
Well, chareidim don’t daven to a stone. Only chloinim can say so.