Israel News - Ultra Orthodox Jews Protest Barzilai Graves Relocation { 18 images } Created 18 May 2010
The controversial plan to relocate the remains buried at the site of the planned emergency room for Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon sparked outrage among Israel's ultra-Orthodox community, which views the removal of buried remains as sacrilege.
The Antiquities Authority said initial excavations revealed Byzantine-era bones and ceramics.
At least 30 ultra-Orthodox demonstrators were arrested late Saturday and Sunday as they protested the removal of the human remains believed to be thousands of years old from the construction site.
Police tackled protesters who attempted to climb fences and stop work at the construction site in Ashkelon, where work began late Saturday evening, while in Jerusalem demonstrators blocked roads and set fire to garbage bins late Saturday night in anger at the evacuation of human remains to make way for a bombproof emergency room at Barzilai.
The Antiquities Authority said initial excavations revealed Byzantine-era bones and ceramics.
At least 30 ultra-Orthodox demonstrators were arrested late Saturday and Sunday as they protested the removal of the human remains believed to be thousands of years old from the construction site.
Police tackled protesters who attempted to climb fences and stop work at the construction site in Ashkelon, where work began late Saturday evening, while in Jerusalem demonstrators blocked roads and set fire to garbage bins late Saturday night in anger at the evacuation of human remains to make way for a bombproof emergency room at Barzilai.
