Many requests that arrived at the committee’s table were angry at the sealing of the Kever of Dan ben Yaakov in the Beit Shemesh area by the Israel Lands Authority. The Knesset’s Public Affairs Committee convened for an urgent discussion on the issue.

At the start of the discussion, the chairman of the committee, Rabbi Yisrael Eichler, demanded that the place be recognized as a ‘holy site’. Rabbi Eichler protested the shameful activity of the State of Israel, which hastened to seal the tomb rather than to find a solution: “In no other place in the world would such a thing happen … Think of what would have happened in a sacred place to another religion. And then start checking things out, it’s absurd, how did we get there? ”

Betar Illit Mayor Meir Rubinstein said during the meeting: “I want to express the public’s cry here, and I did not believe that in 2017 I would close a holy place. Such a thing cannot be tolerated ”

Shai Karp, deputy director of the Israel Land Administration’s Land Conservation Division, presented the PA (Palestinian Authority) position, adding that following the committee’s request, the site had been immediately renovated and detailed plans for the preparation of the site and for proper maintenance were submitted. Rubinstein said during the meeting: “I want to express the public’s cry here, and I did not believe that in 2017 I would close a holy place. Such a thing cannot be tolerated ”

Shai Karp, deputy director of the Israel Land Administration’s Land Conservation Division, presented the PA’s position, adding that following the committee’s request, the site had been immediately renovated and detailed plans for the preparation of the site and for proper maintenance were submitted.

A KKL-JNF representative who also participated in the discussion clarified that although the area is physically located in the forest, “it is not in the jurisdiction of the JNF and we have no responsibility for the compound,” he said.

A representative of the Minister of Religious Affairs informed the committee that the ministry is willing to take responsibility for the place, provided that an appropriate budget is allocated to it: “The Ministry of Religious Affairs is trying to operate with very limited resources that it can distribute and repair what is possible. But we also intend to apply to the Rami that it will be our responsibility, but we will also need a budget accordingly. ”

Committee Chairman MK Rabbi Yisrael Eichler congratulated the Israel Lands Authority for responding to the request and quickly began to prepare the place for mispallalim. MK Eichel added that he asked the KKL-JNF representative to examine the assistance and participation in the development of infrastructure in the area.

The committee also demanded that the Ministry of Religious Affairs take responsibility for the maintenance of the holy site and that there is a security guard in the compound for the sake of peace for the mispallalim as is the case at in Kever Rochel, the tziyun of the Rashbi and the Kosel.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)