Aharonovitch: Still hopeful
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Minister meets with haredim over Karta parking lot
Internal security minister reports no progress in attempt to stop riots over opening of lot on Shabbat
Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch met Monday with heads of the ultra-Orthodox rabbinical court in an attempt to put an end to the weekly protests
against the opening of Jerusalem's Karta parking lot on Shabbat.
"It was not an easy meeting," the minister said after leaving the home of Rabbi Tuvia Weiss in Jerusalem. "As of now I can't speak of progress in stopping the Saturday protests."
Danger Zone
Efrat Weiss
As Nir Barkat visits prominent rabbi in capital's Ezrat Torah neighborhood, he is surrounded by ultra-Orthodox crowd who throw stones at his car. Police call for backup, escort mayor out of neighborhood. Barkat: I will not succumb to violence
Aharonovitch arrived at the meeting accompanied by top police officials. On the ultra-Orthodox side, six of the seven rabbinical court leaders were present.
"As internal security minister I have an interest in stopping the violence near the Karta parking lot – in stopping this saga in which every Saturday officers and civilians are injured and arrests are made," the minister said.
"As of now I can't say there has been progress. There will be more meetings and a team will be appointed today. I hope we find a solution," he added.
On Sunday the conflict reached a breaking point when a radical ultra-Orthodox mob encircled Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat's car as he was leaving the neighborhood of Ezrat Torah, where he visited a prominent rabbi.
Stones were thrown at his car, which was damaged in the incident. Barkat managed to leave the neighborhood after the police stepped in with reinforcements to escort his entourage out.
