Hand grenades were thrown at the gravesite of R' Meir Baal
Haness in Tiveria and two women praying at the site sustained
minor injuries. The local chareidi community asked Mayor
Zohar Oved and other city officials to ban peddlers from the
area to prevent the quarreling that led to the incident.
Recently peddling has become widespread at the gravesite and
fighting has broken out between different groups of peddlers,
as more temporary structures and booths appear in the area.
The chareidi community has long been trying to get rid of the
peddling, which is a desecration to the holy site.
The two women injured in last week's incident had to be
treated at Poria Hospital in Tiveria. Police confirm that a
hand grenade was thrown during power struggles among the
booth owners at the gravesite and say they are determined to
arrest those involved in the incident. Had there been more
people in the area visitors pass through before reaching the
gravesite a much more serious tragedy could have taken place
say police.
The chareidi community expressed shock over the incident.
"Every last peddler must be removed," said a highly ranking
figure in the kehilloh, "for [their presence]
desecrates the site and causes a nuisance to the thousands of
visitors who come to pray every day at the gravesite and
unfortunately encounter the peddlers."
