Last week, despite a judge’s decision in the Magistrates ‘Court, the state demolished the priests’ bridge in Meron, ‘Shabbat Square’ with the full chain of events.
As you may recall, ten months after the Meron disaster, the Priests’ Bridge in Meron was destroyed by the Real Estate Enforcement Authority, after the Mehadrin Bridge and the Dov Bridge were dismantled.
A few months ago, hours before Shabbat began, the Dedication Committee near Meron – Rabbi Yoav Avraham and Rabbi Israel Froilich – petitioned the Magistrate’s Court in Safed for an urgent request for a temporary restraining order, after the applicants learned that the state was about to demolish the priests’ bridge on Mount Meron.
Judge Ronen Payne granted the request and held several hearings on the matter. 18 days ago, Judge Ronen Payne wrote a 15-page decision in the case. Despite this, he finally decided to revoke the temporary order, which allowed the state to demolish the bridge and also ordered the petitioners to pay court costs in the amount of NIS 7,500.
Following the judge’s decision to quash, the petitioners sought a stay of execution of the decision in order to file an appeal against it. The judge of the Magistrate’s Court in Safed accepted the request and wrote that it was before the rule of law only and in order not to lead to a situation where an appeal will be filed after the bridge is destroyed, the request is granted. While ordering the demolition of the bridge on 22/02 – tomorrow.
Despite this, a few days ago, on the night the judge decided to delay the execution, the Israel Land Authority demolished the bridge. The morning after its demolition, the state sent a letter to the Magistrates’ Court stating that during the night a state contractor demolished the bridge, justifying the act by saying that only in the morning and after the demolition did they learn of the court’s decision.