New posters were pasted on the walls of Jerusalem's hareidi-religious neighborhoods Thursday and early Friday, calling on residents to gather at the site of the Intel plant at the Har Hotzvim industrial area this Saturday, and continue the protests against the plant's operation on the Jewish Sabbath.
"To our shame the firm of Intel continues its mutiny and declares in public that it will not retreat from the massive Sabbath desecration at Har Hotzvim,” the poster declares. “The demand of the hareidi Jewish public has been met with a sealed heart and the mockery of the arrogant, with the encouragement of the mayor and the heads of government.”
The improvised wall-posters, known as pashkevils in Yiddish, are a common means of mass communication in the hareidi world, and are used for publishing rabbinical opinions, announcing events and declaring public campaigns.
Barkat wants quiet
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said early this week at a dedication of an Intel plant in Jerusalem that the violent demonstrations need to stop. “I am a believer in the status quo and co-existence in the capital,” he said. “Intel has been working in Jerusalem for 24 years in the current format and there is no change in this situation. I worked and will continue to work for the company's success and growth and to bringing additional hi-tech plants into the capital, and I give my backing and support to Intel's activity in Jerusalem.”
Barkat expressed his thanks to Intel “which took a series of steps in consideration of the various sectors in Jerusalem, as a goodwill gesture,” he said. Intel “moved closer to the requests which came from the representatives of the hareidi public in the city. I commend the dialogue between the sides, denounce the acts of violence which will achieve nothing and hope the sides will reach understandings.” He called upon all of the public leaders in Jerusalem and the rest of the country “to do what they can to calm the spirits and make Jerusalem's streets quiet again.”