ISRAEL: JERUSALEM: NOISY DEMONSTRATION OVER CLOSURE OF MAIN ROAD

Описание: (8 Mar 1997) Natural Sound

Hundreds of ultra Orthodox religious Jews staged a noisy demonstration in Jerusalem on Saturday, demanding the closure of Jerusalem's main "Bar Ilan" road during the Jewish Sabbath.

Israeli police were out in force but tensions boiled over into some clashes when the Orthodox Jews tried to block the street to prevent traffic driving through.

Stepping up the pressure in their fight to observe the Sabbath, hundreds of ultra Orthodox Jews tried to block Bar IIan Street Saturday.

Although the situation has been relatively quiet over the past few months the patience of the Orthodox Jews is wearing thin.

The Orthodox community here want the road closed to traffic from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday in respect for the sanctity of the Sabbath.

Observant Jews refrain from all work, including driving, on the biblically mandated day of rest.

And this demonstration was a reminder to the government they were determined to keep the pressure up until they achieved their goal.

When groups attempted to block the road, the police had to resort to pushing and shoving them back onto the pavement. They formed a cordon to keep them back.

Feelings were running high and several scuffles broke out, although nobody was seriously hurt.

In response to the Orthodox Jews campaign, a special committee was set up several months ago to look at the situation and the problem was put before the courts.

No decision has yet been reached although a compromise has been suggested whereby the road could be closed during prayer time on the Sabbath.

This has been rejected by the Orthodox community who want the road closed, while the secular Jewish community want the vital link road to remain open.

Bar IIan street is increasingly becoming a symbol of the tensions between the secular and Orthodox communities.

Relations between both sides have deteriorated steadily over the past couple of years, and this dispute has only driven the two sides further apart.

Bar Ilan Street runs through an ultra Orthodox neighbourhood in northern Jerusalem, but also links secular areas and provides access to a hospital - one of the main reasons against its closure.

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