Police arrested four Arabs, residents of Ras el-Amud, alleged to have damaged and desecrated graves on Har HaZeisim (Mount of Olives) during recent months.
Police report three of the four admitted to their actions, stating they set out to deface Jewish graves.
The cemetery, despite its holiness, has been for the most part ignored by Israeli authorities over recent years, with daily vandalism attacks being commonplace. Many gravestones are desecrated and destroyed, and area Arabs frequently and intentionally conduct themselves inappropriately in the cemetery, well-aware of their lack of respect for the religious site.
In addition, permitting the situation to deteriorate over the years, security traveling to and from the cemetery is precarious at times, and there are reports of visitors being targeted in rock-throwing and harassment attacks, with little or no police response.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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One Response
Anyone living in Jerusalem knows that Har HaZeisim is one of the most dangerous places to go. I would only go there with a group of people, during daytime. Going alone or at night is just asking for trouble.