Haredi demonstrators clashed with police Monday at an archaeological site in northern Jerusalem that is soon to become a major highway overpass.
The fervently Orthodox Jews protested the removal by archaeologists and government officials of bones unearthed at the site, near the French Hill junction leading to Mount Scopus. Later they marched through the Mea Shearim- Geula haredi heartland of the capital, reciting psalms, but also overturning trashcans and setting them on fire.
A dozen demonstrators were arrested. Both sides said after the incident they were determined to continue their campaigns.
Jerusalem District Archaeologist Gideon Avni said this site is no different from dozens of others excavated in and around the city where there existed graves from various periods, including Jewish graves.
Avni said officials from the Ministry of Religious Affairs attended the excavation, as provided by law, and would eventually take charge of all the human remains and bury them according to religious requirements.
He added that a number of city neighborhoods, including the Orthodox neighborhood of Sanhedria, were built over similar sites.
Avni noted that “every few months,” instances of confrontation between haredim and archaeologists appear to arise, especially in Jerusalem. “We make every effort to do our work in cooperation with the state and religious authorities,” he said.
The haredi demonstrators vowed to stop, by force if necessary, any further removal of bones from the site.
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