The phenomenon of people clandestinely visiting Kever Rochel
in defiance of IDF orders has become a daily occurrence.
People who do so are endangering their lives. In order to
reach the kever they must pass through Palestinian-
controlled territory, thus exposing themselves to
Palestinian sharp shooters.
Kever Rochel has been closed since the outbreak of
the riots before Rosh Hashanah, except for a few times when
a some individuals in armored vehicles were permitted to
enter. IDF officials report that a number of religious Jews
-- among them chareidim -- have recently "snuck into"
Kever Rochel to pray.
In order to circumvent the IDF barriers and the soldiers
stationed at the entrances to Beit Lechem and Kever
Rochel, they cross through territory under full
Palestinian control, thus endangering their lives.
Yediot Acharonot reported that a few days ago, one of
the soldiers guarding the kever heard a suspicious
noise. Thinking that it was caused by Palestinians, he drew
a grenade and was ready to hurl it in the direction of the
noise. At the last second, one of the officers on the site
noticed that the source of the noise was a religious Jews
and a calamity was averted.
