At least 20 ultra-Orthodox Jews crossed the border into Lebanon overnight between Saturday and Sunday, entering the country in the midst of a tenuous cease-fire - and were stopped and returned to Israel. They entered the tomb of 4th century Babylonian scholar Rav Ashi on Mount Shanan, which is located in Lebanese territory and near the border with Israel, a place that they have illegally infiltrated in the past. So far, eight of them have been detained for questioning.
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Haredi men held at the Kiryat Shmona police station tried to visit the tom of Rav Ashi in Lebanon
(Photo: Israel Police spokesman)
According to military sources, the men had gathered near the border and most were removed by IDF forces. The infiltrators tried to enter several times during the night.
The police said that "during the night, the Israel Police received a complaint from IDF officials regarding a group of 20 Israeli citizens who entered the territory of the State of Lebanon after crossing the border in the northern region. Northern District police arrived at the scene and, after teaming up with army officials, detained some of the suspects near the border and transferred them for questioning at the police station in Kiryat Shmona."
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"The Israel Police reminds the public that reaching the areas adjacent to the border fence is prohibited and dangerous, especially crossing the border into Lebanon, which is prohibited by law; the penalty for violating the law is imprisonment of up to four years."
Breslov Hasidim are trying to renovate and fence off the grave site of Rabbi Ash, located inside Lebanon
In December, the police detained for questioning five Haredi residents of Arad who crossed into Lebanese territory illegally. The five were caught across the border by IDF forces and returned to Israeli territory, where they were handed over to the Northern District police from the Kiryat Shmona station.