Young generation protesting
Photo: Yaron Brener
TA: Dozens protest Ashkelon ER relocation
Some 200 people rally in central Tel Aviv despite heavy rain, in protest of cabinet's decision to move Barzilai Medical Center's emergency room due to ancient tombs discovered in area. Demonstrators hold signs reading, 'Bibi favors graves over life'
Some 200 people held a rally on Tel Aviv's Rothschild Boulevard on Friday afternoon, in protest of the cabinet's decision
to accept Deputy Health Minister Yakov Litzman's demand and relocate the emergency room at the Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon due to the discovery of ancient graves.
The rally, which was held under heavy rain, was attended by Knesset Members Chaim Oron and Nitzan Horowitz (Meretz)
and Rabbi Uri Regev of the Hiddush organization for religious freedom and equality.
The protestors held signs reading, "Bibi prefers graves over life", "We've had enough of coercion" and "Bibi is burying Ashkelon".
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"Litzman is a Trojan horse in the Health Ministry. He is the extorter and (Foreign Minister Avigdor) Lieberman and (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu are being extorted," said Regev. He vowed to continue the struggle against the cabinet decision.
"We have gathered here, outside the Independence Hall, next to the place where freedom of religion and conscience was declared," said MK Horowitz. "We stand here as the leaders of the State of Israel are giving in to a radical and extortive group at the expense of the State's residents.
"The free and sane majority in Israel is saying to you, 'We won't agree to be buried.' There is a huge public which seeks to separate state and religion and objects to this unstoppable extortion."
Former Meretz leader Shulamit Aloni said during the rally that "the State was established based on us being a free people in our own country. The Proclamation of Independence talks about 'equal rights, freedom of religion and conscience.' The first Knesset included all the religious parties, without any exceptions, and its basic principles said that the State would avoid interfering in religious affairs.
"I call on Netanyahu to remember that he is the prime minister, not (Shas Chairman) Eli Yishai."
