Bnei Brak Municipality U-turn: "We Approved Closing the Bridge, the Majority Observes Shabbat"
Despite initial denials, the Bnei Brak Municipality confirmed it authorized the closure of the bridge in the Soferim neighborhood on Shabbat. Police stated the proper procedures were not followed, while the opposition chairman claims the chaos is being fueled by external interests.
After initially denying it ordered containers to be placed on the road leading to the mixed residential neighborhood, the Bnei Brak Municipality has confirmed it decided to close the Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Leib bridge on Shabbat. In an official statement, the municipality asserted: "The overwhelming majority consists of residents who observe Shabbat and seek to preserve the character of the neighborhood. It is regrettable that certain parties are trying to fuel the fire and create provocations on the ground."
The Soferim neighborhood falls under the jurisdiction of Bnei Brak, but due to its proximity to Petah Tikva and the Ramat HaHayal neighborhood in Tel Aviv, many secular residents live there as well. The truck driver who delivered the containers was questioned by police, but the municipality blames those who do not observe Shabbat for the unrest.
"The municipal traffic committee approved the closing of the Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Leib bridge on Shabbat, while leaving an entrance and exit open through the Design Center complex to provide a solution for residents," the statement read. The municipality also condemned recent acts of violence, including an attack on a MADA paramedic and a traffic accident involving a child.
Police stated yesterday that the municipality did not pass the road closure decision in accordance with municipal bylaws. Nevertheless, Bnei Brak officials concluded their statement by calling on residents to adhere to existing arrangements and respect one another: "We will not allow any party to turn the neighborhood into an arena that endangers the lives of residents and their children."
Yaakov Wieder, chairman of the opposition in the Bnei Brak City Council, argued that the conflict is being fueled by various interests: "Someone told me explicitly two months ago: 'Listen, our interest is that there will be chaos over Shabbat.'" According to Wieder, the struggle serves to distract from municipal failures, such as the lack of trash collection in the Soferim neighborhood. He confirmed that the municipality failed to follow orderly procedures for closing the street.
Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, a group of 30-50 radical Haredim blocked the entrance to the city from Highway 1, targeting buses arriving from the north. Police sent a patrol car that did not intervene, and the protesters removed the blockade on their own initiative after Shabbat ended.
