Tonight's demonstrationsPhoto: Walla
B"H
Jerusalem's mayor Nir Barkat opened the Karta parking lot on Shabbat. Three weeks ago, the mayor's decision opening the municipality parking lot Safra on Shabbat caused the first riots of the members of the Edah HaCharedit. Although Barkat stated that the parking lot will be without charge on Shabbat, Haredim see a desecration of Shabbat. Especially because a municipality is participating in breaking Shabbat.
Nir Barkat who just got into office because the Gerrer (Gur) Rebbe rejected Barkat's competitor Me'ir Porush, now causes the Haredim to go wild. It doesn't come as a surprise, as Barkat is secular and many Haredim say that if the Haredi Porush had won the mayor's elections, the whole mess taking place now would have never occured.
In order to solve Jerusalem's parking problem on Shabbat, Nir Barkat decided to open the Safra parking lot. Three weeks ago, the Edah HaCharedit called for a big demonstration and Haredim threw stones at the police. For the past two weeks it was quiet because the mayor canceled the opening of the parking lot. Last week, the mayor decided not to open Safra but the Karta parking lot instead. Until Friday, there were different versions about which parking lot will be opened. Eventually Karta, next to Jaffa Gate, opened its gates.
On Erev Shabbat, the Edah had called for a common prayer in Bar Ilan Street and thousands of Haredim took part in the event. Later on, they tried to block the entrance into Sderot Herzl (near the entrance to Jerusalem). On Mozzaei Shabbat, a new demonstration took place at the HaNevi'im / Shivtei Israel junction in Mea Shearim. The Haredim tried to reach Safra which is just a few meters far away in order to demonstrate in front of the municipality building. However, the police used water canons and thus kept the protesters at the junction. According to the "Chadrei HaCharedim" website, 21 Haredim got arrested, two police officers and a six - year - old child were wounded. Haredim were throwing stones, fruits and bottles. The police, on the other hand, acted with extreme violence and even beat those Haredim who just acted as bystanders. Many Haredim were complaining about the brutality of the police officers.
I wasn't there but once I witnessed a haredi demonstration and saw those dressed in black (Yassam) police guys driving their motorbikes right into the haredi crowd. Just like madmen and nazilike. This happened in the middle of Jerusalem's Agrippas Street and secular as well as other witnesses jumped onto the Yassam unit. Their brutal behaviour caused all bystanders to be on the haredi site.
I can imagine that there a high tension in Mea Shearim and the Haredim are probably running around with the feeling that the police are going to hunt their population all over the place. This has taken place in the past and on Thursday, the Gerrer Rebbe, Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef as well as Rabbi Eliyashiv threatened to drop the coalition with Nir Barkat. A haredi withdraw could cause the mayor's fall.
The demonstrations are to be continued.
Admorim (chassidic Rebbes) seen at the prayer sevice on Erev Shabbat:
The Toldot Aharon Rebbe, the Dushinsky Rebbe and the Rebbe of Karlin - Pinsk.
At the same time when the Haredim demonstrated, a second demonstration took place. Israel's left - wing Meretz against the haredi demands of closing the parking lots.
If they're going to be violent in their demonstrations then they should be treated with violence. Violence is the biggest chilul Hashem, and I don't think that throwing bottles, rocks and fruit is in the spirit of keeping shabbos.
ReplyDeleteThis demonstration was a big chillul Hashem. I place the blame squarely on the Chareide leaders. Noice I don't call them gadolim. What happened this past Shabbos and three weeks ago reveals the lack of true leadership in EY.
ReplyDeleteI support the Mayor on this issue. The man is a mensch. He tried to compromise but the Chareidim were stubborn and didn't see the opportuntiy to make a kiddush Hashem. Rather, they let their ego get in the way of achdus among klal yisroel. What did they get instead, a machlokes that was not Shaim shamayim.
Interesting, this is happened on Shabbos Korach.
B"H
ReplyDeleteJerusalem has a long long demonstration history. The most famous demonstrations already took place in the 50ies and 60ies. Then it was Rabbi Amram Blau from the Neturei Karta leading the demonstrations.
Today, many Haredim miss the "good old days" and try bringing them back. This is at least my impression.
Personally I don't care too much if the parking lot is open or not. Nir Barkat is secular and I see Chassidut Gur as the guilty one by voting for him just because the Gerrer Rebbe is holding a grudge on Me'ir Porush.
By the way, stones etc. were thrown after Shabbat !
sounds like they copy the tactics of the iranian 'basijis' who like to drive their bikes into pedestrians and run them over...
ReplyDeleteB"H
ReplyDeleteThere was violence on both sides but these Yassam guys are famous for their brutality. Many of them are Druse and they are sent against religious Jews anyway.
But many of them are Jewish and when you look at this unit, you don't feel like having anything to do with those guys.