Significant progress was made this week in talks to prevent
the desecration of burial caves along the route of the Trans-
Israel Highway during a meeting of the Religious Lobby at
Kibbutz Regavim, located near the site of the burial caves.
The meeting followed an onsite tour on which participants
included representatives of the Prime Minister, chareidi MKs,
the Chairman of the Association for the Prevention of Grave
Desecration, Transportation Ministry officials, the Trans-
Israel Highway Company and police officials.
Trans-Israel Hwy. Co. CEO Yehuda Cohen announced that the
road near the burial caves that were emptied a few months ago
would be rerouted by a few meters to one side and a
supporting wall would be built alongside the caves as
proposed by engineer Rami Manor. Cohen also said that
construction work near the newly-discovered cave would be
performed at a distance of 200 meters to avoid damaging the
cave, as promised by Transportation Minister Meir
Shetreet.
During the meeting, Cohen displayed maps of the planned route
and discussed the necessity of making progress in paving the
road. He expressed exasperation over the fact that the Jewish
National Fund did not uproot trees growing along the route as
previously agreed upon and that procedures to detect the
presence of additional burial caves would therefore not be
feasible.
Manor then presented his proposals to avoid desecrating the
caves, but said until all of the trees are removed it would
be very difficult to determine whether other burial caves
exist or where they are.
Rabbi Michah Rothschild, chairman of the Association for the
Prevention of Grave Desecration, spoke sadly about the
desecration of the two burial caves several months ago "like
thieves in the night," and recalled the perseverance of
chareidi MKs, including the Deputy Transportation Minister,
to uphold the promise made by Minister Shetreet not to allow
any further damage to the caves.
He complained that it takes two weeks to authorize the
uprooting of trees, "but graves are desecrated in a
minute."
Uzi Kern, an advisor of the Prime Minister, said that there
must be dialogue and trust between the sides. "Why do
chareidim have to stay here day and night because they are
worried that another burial cave will be desecrated, even
though there is an explicit promise of a Minister that no
more caves will be desecrated? Without trust we will not
progress." Kern offered to serve as a mediator, saying that
he had the full faith of the Prime Minister.
