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World Jewish News
Secular Jerusalemites: We will not cave in to Haredi pressure
13.06.2009
Around 300 secular Jerusalemites rallied in Israel's capital Saturday to protest the recent decision by Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat to close a parking lot on Shabbat in the wake of violent protests recently by Haredi demonstrators in the city.
Many of the demonstrators accused Barkat of folding in the face of rioters, with MK Nitzan Horovitz (Meretz), saying "Nir Barkat folded, but we will not fold".
Standing before the demonstrators, some of whom were carrying banners reading "Jerusalem = Teheran", Horovitz said "Nir Barkat won thanks to the city's secular residents. If he folds over a parking lot, we can only imagine what else he'll fold over."
Last Saturday, stone-throwing Haredim protestors lightly wounded six police officers during a demonstration against Jerusalem's decision to open the Safra parking lot on Shabbat to accommodate secular visitors to the city. The decision over whether to reopen the parking lot has been postponed for two weeks.
After Barkat's decision was announced, Haredi leaders called off demonstrations planned for this Saturday.
Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Pepe Allalo told the crowd Saturday that if the lot is not reopened in two weeks "we will reopen it".
Allalo also said Jerusalem's Haredi residents "are trying to turn Jerusalem into Bnei Barak, but we won't let this happen," referring to the ultra-Orthodox town outside of Tel Aviv.
One alternative solution that has been raised is to open a parking lot owned by businessman Alfred Akirov, who required assurances that his businesses would not be harmed by ultra-Orthodox protesters if he should agree to operate the lot.
The Haredi community, however, insists that it opposes the opening of any parking lot during Shabbat.
Источник: Haaretz
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