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16 Tammuz 5766 - July 12, 2006 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Police Weigh Banning Offensive International Event Scheduled to Take Place in Jerusalem

By Betzalel Kahn

Concerned by the possibility of public unrest, the police might order the cancellation a disturbing, divisive parade that would undermine the sanctity of the holy city of Jerusalem. Police officials say they lack the manpower needed to provide proper policing for such an event due to current security situation in the country. Unconfirmed reports are that the event will be moved to Tel Aviv.

The Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations of Britain sent a letter expressing their "horror and indignation" at the proposed event in the Holy City of Jerusalem. They asked the Israeli government to uphold "the time-honored concept of kedushas Am Yisroel and kedushas Eretz Yisroel.

HaRav Yosef Efrati, representing Maran HaRav Eliashiv shlita, and MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni recently met with Jerusalem District Police Chief Ilan Franco, clearly informing him that the planned event would strike a serious blow to the sensibilities of Torah-true Jewry and the sanctity of Jerusalem. Franco promised to assess canceling the parade.

MK Rabbi Gafni also met with Police Chief Moshe Karadi, saying that the event could cause major public disturbances that the police would be hard-pressed to cope with.

Jerusalem Mayor Rabbi Uri Lupoliansky met with the Vatican's ambassador to Israel, Archbishop Antonio Franco, as part of his efforts to prevent the event from being held in Jerusalem. The Mayor stressed the conducting discussions of the issue on an international level rather than a local level. The Archbishop told Rabbi Lupoliansky that the Vatican was very troubled by the prospect of holding the parade in Jerusalem and that the heads of the Catholic Church in Jerusalem have been instructed to use every means at their disposal to bring about its cancellation.

Following the meeting, the Ambassador issued a statement saying, "Holding the event in Jerusalem is an attempt to impose views of a provocative minority on the majority, which cannot be allowed. The Vatican will act using all means at its disposal to stop the plans to harm the character of the Holy City."

The meeting with the Ambassador was part of a series of conversations the Mayor has held over the past several weeks with Christian and Muslim leaders in the city in order to apply international pressure to stop the event planned for next month.

The Knesset Internal Affairs Committee also met to discuss the parade and chareidi representatives in the Knesset and the Jerusalem City Council lodged harsh attacks against the offensive event. Rabbonim from all circles and backgrounds have been making concerted efforts to thwart the event, including meetings with influential figures in a position to persuade government officials and the police to cancel it.

 

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