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Last update - 12:04 12/06/2009
Jerusalem mayor caves in to Haredi demands, closes parking lot
By Nir Hason, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Nir Barkat, Israel News 

Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat decided Friday to comply with a demand issued by the city's District Police chief Aharon Franco to leave the contentious Safra parking lot closed for the next two Saturdays.

The decision came following a violent protest staged by ultra-Orthodox demonstrators last Saturday, demanding that the parking lot be closed on the weekend as to not desecrate the Shabbat. Six police officers were injured as riots ensued.

Following the decision, Haredi officials said that the demonstrations which were scheduled to take place Friday and Saturday would be canceled.
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A panel of secular organizations will hold a rally calling to open the Safra lot on Saturday despite Haredi demands. Organizers have not yet agreed whether to sling criticism at Barkat himself during the demonstration.

Barkat's aides rejected claims that the Jerusalem mayor had caved in to Haredi violence. In a statement released Friday Barkat promised to reopen the Safra lot three Saturdays from now, unless an alternative solution to the area's parking problems can be found.

One alternative solution that was raised was to open a parking lot owned by businessman Alfred Akirov, who required assurances that his businesses would not be harmed by ultra-Orthodox protesters if he should agree to operate the lot.

The Haredi community, however, insists that it opposes the opening of any parking lot during Shabbat.

On Thursday Barkat assembled the city's secular council members in an attempt to explain the complexity of the situation. Some of the council members criticized the mayor's decision to close the parking lot, but added that they would agree to keep their criticism to themselves if indeed Barkat intends to reopen the lot in three weeks.

"I didn't like the decision, but I am positive that eventually a parking lot will indeed be opened , we will never give or accept any other solution," said Ofer Berkovic, a member of the secular Hit'orerut ("Awakening") faction of city hall.

"The Haredi community is going to have to understand that the city's leadership has changed," he said.

Opening a privately-owned parking lot

Chief Franco met the heads of the Haredi community Thursday afternoon, including the extremist faction which was responsible for sparking last week's anti-city council riots.

Fracno presented his recommendation to close the Safra lot for the next two Saturdays, until an agreed-upon solution could be reached.

One of the suggestions discussed over recent days by both Franco and Barkat was to open a nearby privately-owned parking lot in place of the Safra Sqaure municipal parking lot.

The rabbis rejected the offer, but said that they would not demonstrate on Saturday if the municipal lot would indeed stay closed.

Last week the mayor said the initiative to open the parking lot came from the police, who became concerned with the increasing congestion in the Old City area where parking lots are closed over the weekend at the behest of the ultra-Orthodox.

Related articles:
  • Jerusalem braces for more Haredi riots over parking lot
  • Jerusalem mayor mulls closing controversial parking lot on Shabbat
  • Ultra-Orthodox blame their own for parking lot opening on Sabbath
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