The interesting part of the violent protests at the Goloventzitz construction site in Bet Shemesh

There is not anything really new or interesting about the rioting on the construction site in RBS yesterday in which 20 or 30 extremist-haredim associated with the Asra Kadisha were arrested.

It is part of a fight over whether or not there are ancient Jewish graves under the construction site or not. Rav Weiss and the Asra say there are, and construction is against halacha without making changes (changes that the Asra must be paid a lot of money to implement). Rav Shterbuch and Ertz Hachaim say that there are no ancient Jewish graves on the site and construction can begin, under supervision (for which Eretz Hachaim must be paid).

The owners, buyers and contractors are fed up with all the delays, and decided to authorize the Ertz Hachaim organization to make the final decision, thus leading to the start of construction. Asra supporters, upset at the decision, rioted and protests, sometimes violently.

Nothing new, and nothing all that interesting.

What does make the story interesting is a side incident.

Despite the people involved in the protests and opposition to construction all being anti-Zionists, that does not stop them from trying to use the Zionist institutions against the Zionists.

Moshe Friedman, a member of the Eida, filed a petition with the Supreme Court yesterday to try to get an injunction to stop work on the Goloventzitz construction site. According to Bechadrei, the appeal to the Supreme Court was filed by attorney Itamar Ben-Gvir.

In the appeal, Ben-Gvir claimed that there are a number of halachic solutions available to minimize or avoid damage to graves while allowing construction to continue. Israeli law requires everything possible to be done to avoid or minimize damage to graves.

So:
1. they are trying to use the Supreme Court in their favor, despite not recognizing the authority of the State or of the its courts an legal system
2. they hired attorney Itamar Ben-Gvir to do the work on their behalf. The Anti-Zionists using a far right wing Zionist (unless you believe the conspiracy theorists who claim he is really a Shabak agent) to use State resources.

That is interesting.

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