Work on Trans - Israel Highway stopped
Interior Minister’s decision comes amid fierce clashes between ultra-Orthodox and police; rabbis claim highway passes over ancient Jewish graves; ultra-Orthodox protested in front of Israeli consulate in New York
Time-out for compromise: The construction of the Trans – Israel Highway will be suspended for a week, it was decided during a meeting held between Internal Security Minister Gideon Ezra and representatives of the ultra-Orthodox sector and Israel Police.
The ultra-Orthodox are protesting the construction of the highway, as some Orthodox rabbis who claim the road passes over ancient Jewish graves have called on followers to demonstrate against the ongoing road works.
Thursday police units intercepted four buses carrying ultra-Orthodox who were on their way to demonstrate against the construction of the Trans - Israel Highway.
Also Thursday, ultra-Orthodox demonstrated in front of the Israeli consulate in New York; the protesters demanded the construction of the highway be stopped.
Ezra said during the 2-hour meeting that work on the highway’s Regavim section, which is 250 meters long (about 820 ft.), would be suspended for a week in an effort to find a fitting solution that would permit the continued construction of the highway without damaging the ancient Jewish graves.
Pursuant to the meeting ultra-Orthodox leaders and police officials called on the ultra-Orthodox public to refrain from demonstrating at this time until an accepted solution would be reached.
Fighting at Shabbat Square
On Tuesday seven police officers were wounded and eight ultra-Orthodox men were arrested during clashes in Jerusalem’s ultra-Orthodox Meah Shearim quarter.
Several hundred protesters returning home from a demonstration outside the Transportation Ministry burned garbage and blocked traffic at Shabbat Square.
Police were called, and several suspects were arrested.
But as officers tried to arrest a man outside the Satmar Yeshiva, hundreds of students inside the building began attacking officers in an attempt to free the student from police custody.
The yeshiva students threw bricks, rocks, and even benches at police as they attempted to arrest a protester outside the Satmar Yeshiva, near the Shabbat Square intersection.
