Silwan

The Supreme Court of Israel has issued a temporary restraining order stopping further work in Silwan by the private archaeological firm Elad. Elad has been accused of digging on private property of Arab landowners without permission, tunneling under Arab houses and causing structural damage. The issues are especially contentious because the Arab residents of Silwan see the intrusions as an attempt to move them from their neighborhood which lies just south of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

Rabbi Tzvi Weinberg, former chair of Rabbis for Human Rights, wrote this account of the hearing on Rabbi Arik Ascherman's arrest:

It is Friday noon (March 14, 2008), and I just returned from the law court in Jerusalem where five people came to support Arik after his arrest yesterday, and to protest the injustice of his detention. Besides my wife and myself, Rabbi Barry Leff and his wife and a 79 year old activist from Netanya who has participated in RHR programs were there.

Rabbi Barry Leff was a member of the RHR-NA Board before he made aliya to Israel. He wrote this account of the hearing on the arrest of Rabbi Arik Ascherman:

March 14, 2008
Redeeming Captives
Today I had the rare opportunity to perform a mitzvah I have not done before: redeeming captives.

I am not comfortable with the amount of attention around my arrest. Many Silwan residents have been arrested and I am not even the first Israeli to be arrested there. However, I am grateful for all of the support and if the fact that people know me helps to uncover the injustice and discrimination taking place in Silwan, than so be it. As advocate Gabi Laski said in court today, it is “eifa v’eifa.”

Rabbis for Human Rights’ Executive Director, Rabbi Arik Ascherman, was released from prison on Friday upon signing a restraining order agreeing not to organize demonstrations in Silwan in the next fifteen days. His lawyers said the restraining order will be appealed.

Rabbi Arik Ascherman was arrested Thursday evening while he was being investigated regarding events that occurred in Silwan on Wednesday morning We have been reporting the work of Rabbis for Human Rights in attempting to protect the Arab residents of Silwan, the neighborhood just south of the Temple mount, from being displaced.

The State of Israel has given the full responsibility and control over the archaeological sites in Silwan to Elad, an Association dedicated to the Judaization of Silwan. Elad has created a method of expelling citizens from their properties, appropriating public areas, enclosing these lands with fences and guards, and banning the entrance of the local residents.

Just south of the Temple Mount is the mixed neighborhood of Silwan. Arab residents have long complained that they are gradually being pushed out of the area. Governmental and quasi-governmental agencies have expropriated lands as for archaeological sites.
RHR Israel reports:

The State of Israel has given the full responsibility and control over the archaeological sites in Silwan to Elad, an Association dedicated to the Judaization of Silwan. Elad has created a method of expelling citizens from their properties, appropriating public areas, enclosing these lands with fences and guards, and banning the entrance of the local residents.