Minister of Religious Services (Shas) Yitzchak Cohen this week halted work on the construction of a fortified area at Ashkelon’s Barzilai Hospital.

Cohen halted the permit to begin work, in line with the p’sak Halacha of both Maran Rav Karelitz Shlita and Rav Wosner Shlita, who stated if the underground fortified area can be constructed in an alternate location, there is no justification for moving the graves. (See YWN article HERE).

The Chief Rabbinate however permitted relocating the cemetery, explaining the Gaza War proved the need to construct a fortified area in the hospital on grounds of pikuach nefesh.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)