(Times of Israel) Mitch Ginsburg - The tomb of Rachel comes under "daily Molotov cocktail and stone attacks," a reality that is a violation of international law, said Miriam Adani, the head of the Kever Rachel Fund, an NGO that raises money for the site's upkeep. A senior officer in the IDF's Etzion Brigade confirmed that the tomb, where two Israeli soldiers were killed during the Second Intifada, has "become a central point of friction." During Operation Pillar of Defense in Gaza in November, the first days saw stone throwing at the tomb, the officer said. Then came slingshots, followed by Molotov cocktails, followed by sling-shot Molotov cocktails, followed by improvised explosive devices and finally sling-shot IEDs. "They burned a watch tower, broke windows, [and] threw Molotov cocktails," said the officer. The Pilgrim of Bordeaux noted the tomb of Rachel as situated outside Bethlehem already in 333, as did the Jewish traveler Benjamin of Metudela in the 12th century.
2013-03-22 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive