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8 Sivan 5765 - June 15, 2005 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Transportation Ministry and Trans-Israel Highway Co. Refuse to Reroute Hwy. 6

By Betzalel Kahn

While the State of Israel moved numerous roads because of problems with Jewish gravesites the Transportation Ministry and the Trans-Israel Highway Company are refusing to alter the route of Highway 6 despite damage to burial caves forbidden by the leading poskim, said MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni during a meeting of the Knesset Religious Lobby.

When Highway 1 from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv was laid it was rerouted near Motza during the construction process and a dangerous curve created all because of the grave of a sheikh. And near the town of Nesher a large bridge was built to avoid harming the grave of Sheikh Iz-adin al-Kassam. "Jewish graves are profaned while non-Jewish graves are preserved at a cost of millions of shekels," said Rabbi Gafni, suggesting the MKs belonging to the Religious Lobby visit the digging site to take note of the threat still posed to the burial caves.

Rabbi Michah Rothschild, chairman of the Association for the Prevention of Grave Desecration, presented an overview of the course of events and evidence the graves are Jewish without a doubt. He also noted the Association protects non-Jewish graves as well, in accordance with halochoh. "There is no reason to submit and allow further work in a place where graves were desecrated and a battle should be waged over this," he said, adding that environmental organizations fight to prevent the uprooting of every tree along a route.

Deputy Transportation Minister MK Rabbi Shmuel Halpert provided a survey of the construction on the Trans-Israel Highway since he assumed his post and repeated the pledge made by Transportation Minister Meir Shetreet that if additional graves are discovered work would stop immediately pending a meeting of the special ministerial committee to be set up.

He also related the recent developments at the Transportation Ministry that led to the decision to resume infrastructure work on Highway 6 at the site where two burial caves were desecrated in recent months. "I informed the Transportation Minister that according to the instructions of gedolei haposkim the road may not be paved where graves are located. It is unconscionable for the Transportation Ministry to empty out caves, damage the graves and then claim under the given situation [a road can be paved] in a place where burial caves were located," said Rabbi Halpert.

He also noted the current debate is over the site of the burial caves that were desecrated, and even laid out before the MKs the lengthy discussions held with Mr. Rami Manor, the engineer hired to seek solutions, and his proposal to alter the route of the highway by just a few meters in order to avoid harming the four known burial caves. Although altering the route would cost NIS 10 million the Transportation Ministry agreed to cover the expense. When another burial cave was found last week in the middle of the route, Rabbi Halpert demanded the stoppage of construction and indeed the Transportation Minister agreed to keep his word, immediately ordering work stopped in the area of the cave.

At the end of the meeting, which was also attended by MKs Eli Yishai, Nissim Zeev, Uri Ariel, Benny Alon, Effi Eitam, Tzvi Handel and others, Rabbi Halpert announced that if one more cave is harmed on the Trans-Israel Highway he would resign from his post at the Transportation Ministry.

Religious Lobby members suggested holding an emergency meeting with the Prime Minister to stress the severity of the acts of burial cave desecration perpetrated two months ago. The lobby members also said in the event of further harm to the burial caves all of the lobby members would follow Rabbi Gafni's proposal to hold an onsite demonstration.

 

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