Israel Matzav

Video of vandalism at World's oldest and largest functioning cemetery

Here's video of an Arab vandal at the Mount of Olives, the World's oldest and largest functioning cemetery.

Let's go to the videotape. More below the fold.



This took place on November 29, and the Arab, who was caught red-handed, was sentenced to three months in jail. He admitted that he was paid NIS 1,000 to commit the vandalism.

Avrohom Lubinsky, the founding Chair of the International Committee for the Preservation of Har Hazeitim, wasn't surprised by the footage, as the vandalism has been going on for some time already.

“This video clip is only one example of the rampant vandalism that continues to plague Har Hazeitim", explains Lubinsky, "It was the first time that such vandalism was captured by some of the new surveillance cameras installed on Har Hazeitim. Unfortunately, these acts as well as the frequent stoning of mourners and visitors continue in areas where there are still no cameras and points to the urgent need of deploying a police garrison immediately."

"This is not a freak occurrence", added Charley J. Levine, adviser to the Preservation Committee in Israel, "This sort of vicious vandalism and desecration occurs at Har Hazeitim every single day, some orchestrated and some spontaneous. It is a shame of enormous proportion that this takes place at the oldest and largest Jewish cemetery in the entire world!"

The International Committee for the Preservation of Har Hazeitim serves as a watchdog group urging the powers that be to implement and maintain positive, sustainable measures regarding a wide range of issues plaguing Har Hazeitim, the oldest and largest Jewish cemetery in the world. "We are urging the Knesset to urgently pass legislation calling for stiff mandatory sentences for crimes committed in cemeteries", says Lubinsky, "The criminal in the clip was paid NIS 1,000 for his actions and sentenced to only three months in prison. In most Western countries and in a majority of the United States there is specific legislation mandating stiff jail sentences for desecrating a grave. For example, in New York State the sentence would have been 2 ½ - 4 years. In Florida up to 15 years. The total disregard for law, including the illegal expansion of the Ras al Amud Mosque, must stop.”
Top leadership of the International Committee for the Preservation of Har Hazeitim includes Malcolm Hoenlein, the heads of major American and Israeli-based Jewish organizations, and an active Jerusalem-based Steering Committee (Israel branch of the ICPHH).

But I'm sure that if we gave the 'Palestinians' control of the Mount of Olives, this kind of vandalism would stop, wouldn't it? Not likely....

Labels: Mount of Olives, vandalism

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:16 AM