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.
