The High Court has called Tuesday for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to examine the possibility of requesting from Palestinian and international officials to preserve the evacuated Gush Katif synagogues.
The court’s decision stems from a halachic (Jewish law) standpoint that was presented this week during a hearing on the matter, according to which it is strictly forbidden to destroy synagogues. The judges also accepted the petition filed by the Chief Rabbinate Council, which claimed that Israel has not done enough to preserve the structures.
The High Court was apparently not satisfied with the state’s reply, whereby turning to Palestinian or international sources is not a possibility.
“If the answer is negative, we would like to know why this is so,” the court said in its decision.
Following the second petition on the matter, a court order has been issued to delay the destruction of the Gush Katif synagogues until the state offers sufficient explanations as to why it has not turned to Palestinian and international officials on the matter.
Destruction of synagogues may harm Jewish communities
During this week’s hearing the attorney representing the state, Avi Licht, claimed that a government minister approached a senior Palestinian Authority minister through an American official regarding the synagogues’ preservation, but was turned down.
Licht added that the issue was raised during security meetings between Israeli and Palestinian sources, adding that in any case the PA would not be able to uphold a commitment to preserve the synagogues.
The rabbis who appeared before the court, Shear Yashuv Hacohen and Simcha Hacohen-Cook, said the synagogues must remain standing even if it means their eventual destruction and desecration by the Palestinians.
The petitioners also claimed the destruction of the synagogues by Israel may have international implications that would cause damage to Jewish communities abroad.
In the court’s previous decision onthe matter the judges decreed that the Gush Katif synagogues would be destroyed and symbolic religious items taken out of them would be placed in new synagogues that would be built in Israel.
First published: 10:27, 09.06.5