Police foil Trans-Israel Highway protest
Dozens of ultra-Orthodox stopped en route to a mass demonstration against construction of Trans - Israel Highway; rabbis claim road passes over ancient Jewish graves
Police units intercepted Thursday four buses carrying ultra-Orthodox who were on their way to demonstrate against the construction of the Trans - Israel Highway.
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.
One of the buses, which was blocked at the Glilot Junction north of Tel Aviv, contained tires taken from a nearby gas station; the 28 passengers on board, along with the bus driver, were arrested and taken in for questioning.
According to police assessments, the ultra-Orthodox planned to hold a demonstration against the Trans – Israel Highway at two separate highway construction sites where they claim Jewish graves are located: Hagit and Kibbutz Regavim, both located near Zichron Yaakov.
Despite the interception of the four buses, hundreds of Ultra-Orthodox arrived at one of the construction site and began to pray; construction was suspended so as not to disturb them.
Initially police estimated the protesters were right-wing activists attempting to block traffic on a major road again, but soon enough it was revealed the protesters were yeshiva students.
A police source said "The Hagit construction site in Zichron Yaakov is quiet, after the ultra-Orthodox who had arrived at the scene have been put back on the buses and are heading south."
'We will not work according to vague whims'
Trans - Israel Highway Spokesman Arieh Shabtai said "Today, just as every other day during the past two weeks, many ultra-Orthodox came and attempted to disrupt construction work being done at the (Kibbutz) Regavim area."
"Every day we summon the police, and every day there are arrests and altercations," he said.
"We have nothing to discuss with them because there are no graves along the route. The graves that were here were transferred two weeks ago. Three graves remain in the area, and we are willing to change the route and bypass them without harming them, but they (ultra-Orthodox) continue to demonstrate."
Shabtai said he believes the protesters are angry because they were excluded from the decision-making process regarding the construction.
"We work in accordance with the country's laws and regulations, we will not work according to the vague whims of these people," he said.
Thursday's events mark the third straight day of ultra-Orthodox protests against the highway's construction.
Wednesday a policeman was lightly wounded when hundreds of ultra-Orthodox gathered at the intersection of Highway No.1 and Shivtei Yisrael
Street near Jerusalem’s ultra-Orthodox Meah Shearim quarter and began to hurl stones and eggs at the police officers.
