Jerusalem police chief Aharon Franco requested Thursday that the city close a parking lot that was recently opened on the Sabbath, in order to allow for dialogue between city officials and hareidi-religious leaders. Mayor Nir Barkat has approved the request.
The parking lot will be closed on the Sabbath for the next two weeks. If hareidi-religious leaders and city officials do not reach an agreement within that time, the lot will be reopened on the next Sabbath.
Barkat's willingness to consider the proposal sparked anger among some residents of Jerusalem. Secular activists held a demonstration in downtown Jerusalem on Thursday night and called for Barkat to keep the parking lot open.
The parking lot, which is located near the municipality in Safra Square, was recently opened on the Sabbath in order to allow tourists easier access to the city.
The move caused anger in nearby hareidi-religious neighborhoods, where many residents saw it as official approval of Sabbath desecration.
City officials said the parking lots would be operated without Sabbath desecration, as the workers would not be Jewish and parking would be free. However, hareidi-religious rabbis and community leaders rejected that argument, saying the provision of parking encourages driving on the Sabbath.
Thousands of religious Jews protested last Saturday against the opening of the lot. As protestors reached Safra Square, violent clashes broke out, in which four police officers and several demonstrators were wounded.