Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai's tomb (archives)
Photo: Effie Sharir
Worshippers arrested for rioting near rabbi's grave
Eight ultra-Orthodox men hurl items, break windows near Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai's tomb on Mount Meron in protest of site's renovation
The Safed Police arrested eight ultra-Orthodox men from Jerusalem early Tuesday on suspicion of rioting near Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai's tomb on Mount Meron in the Upper Galilee.
Safed Police Superintendent Amos Shimoni told Ynet, "The worshippers came, broke windows and hurled item. The eight men were arrested, and an initial investigation revealed that they were rioting in protest of changes taking place on the site as part of the place's regularization.
"We view any cases of strife and violence at the grave site with extreme severity, in this case as well," he said.
The police were expected to ask the Safed Magistrate's Court to extend the eight men's remand.
Several months ago, the High Court decided to establish an administration which would supervise the Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai grave site, headed by Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz.
The tomb attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. The Lag B'Omer celebration sees a record-high number of visitors, with more than half a million people arriving from Israel and abroad.
Last September, groups of worshippers clashed near the grave over the control of the site. In one case, two people were moderately injured in a squabble over the placing of peddling stands in the area.
Following the high number of brawls, Northern District Police Commander Major-General Shimon Koren decided about half a year ago to station regular forces at the grave site to break up any riots.
