Ultra-Orthodox Israelis protest grave removal WOKV
Ultra-Prevailing Israelis protest grave removalBy TSAFRIR ABAYOV
Associated Press Writer
ASHKELON, Israel (AP) -- Israeli antiquities authorities operating under crestfallen police guard began relocating ancient graves on Sunday to make way for construction of a hospital difficulty room, setting off protests from ultra-Orthodox Jews who say Jewish remains are being disturbed.
Officers forcibly carried off dozens of demonstrators who had staged a sit-in to try to off the work outside Barzilai Hospital in the southern city of Ashkelon. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said 30 protesters were arrested.
Archaeologists have decided the graves belonged to Christians or pagans from the Byzantine period, about 1,400 years ago. But ultra-Orthodox Jews avow they are Jewish bones that should not be moved, in accordance with religious practice.
A fence surrounding the hospital was topped by barbed wire to keep out demonstrators, and administer set up checkpoints at the entrances to the city to ward off any major inflow of protesters.
