The Israel Police officers who were sent this morning (Monday) to demolish the illegal synagogue building in Harish, removed the Torah books and holy items from the building before it was demolished.
The policemen, who admittedly entered the synagogue without domes as is customary, took out the Torah scrolls from the ark one by one while making sure to kiss them.
Several people were arrested during the opposition to the demolition of the Lev Yosef Synagogue in the city. After the demolition of the building, roads were blocked by plowing by the protestors.
According to residents who spoke with Channel 7, the background for the establishment of the illegal synagogue is a lack of response to residents who wish to pray and find that there is a severe shortage of synagogues in the city.
Attorney Michael Litvak from the Bezalmo organization and a resident of Harish said: “It is unfortunate that while the Israeli police are containing the leftist demonstrations, they are acting with great violence, fighting and destroying the sanctuaries of Israel. The full responsibility for the destruction of the synagogue and the severe harm to worshipers lies with the municipality of Harish, which instead of finding a solution to the plight of the synagogues, repeatedly chooses to harass the religious and ultra-orthodox public in the city.”
The Israel Police stated: “As part of targeted enforcement aimed at maintaining public safety and increasing the norms of compliance with the law, this morning police forces together with the Planning and Construction Law Enforcement Unit arrived in Harish for the purpose of executing a demolition order issued by the local Planning and Construction Committee for a temporary road structure built on the spot from tin plates in a manner Illegal on public land. It should be noted that the activity was preceded by many attempts to negotiate with the owners of the place in order to reach a compromise and find suitable alternatives, but all of them were rejected by the owners of the place.
“Upon the arrival of the forces at the place, the contents of the place, including the Torah books and the holy items, were removed before the demolition was carried out and they were transferred in a dignified manner to the municipality officials. In the meantime, police officers from the Iron station and the Menashe region participated in the activity, in cooperation with the Mageb fighters, together with the representatives of the Planning and Construction Law Enforcement Unit to implement the demolition order, when it is suspected to be the construction of a building on public land in serious violation of the law and blatant disregard for the needs of The public is there. During the activity, dozens of yeshiva members arrived at the scene and tried to prevent the demolition. So far, a suspect has been arrested for obstructing a police officer in the performance of his duties,” it was reported.
“Today’s demolition of the building joins a series of targeted enforcement actions and the demolition that was carried out earlier in the city of Acre and which the Israel Police carries out at any time and in any place, to implement judicial orders while maintaining public order, for the sake of the law-abiding normative citizen in the country,” said the Israel Police.