THE JEWISH NEWS

THIS ISSUE 6O

SERVING DETROIT'S JEWISH COMMUNITY

JULY 8, 1988 / 23 TAMMUZ 5748

Excavations Spark Violence

STAFF REPORT

Kathleen Straus is in no ivory tower.

SINGLE
BY
CHOICE

works around the
clock for the
First Amendment

Jerusalem — Israel's capital city
settled into relative calm this week
after an archeological dig in east
Jerusalem sparked a two-hour battle
between Arabs and Israeli
authorities.
The rioting started Sunday as
Israeli workers began excavation on
an ancient canal near the Mosque of
El-Aksa. The mosque, located on the
Temple Mount in east Jerusalem, is
a Muslim holy site.
Waqf, the Muslim council oversee-
ing the excavation, called the Arabs
to action. "The Jews are invading the
Temple Mount! Come protect the
Temple Mount!" was its message,
blared on loudspeakers throughout
the area.
Apparently afraid the excavations
would extend to the mosque itself,
hundreds of Muslims tossed bottles
and stones at Israelis working at the
site. Police reacted by using rubber
bullets and tear gas.
Part of the Old City was shut off
and schools and shops in the area
were closed when rioting began to

spill into other parts of Jerusalem.
About 15 Arabs and one Israeli
policeman were treated for minor
injuries.
Excavations on the 2,000-year-old
canal, which runs from under the
Kotel to the Sister of Zion convent in
the Moslem Quarter, has been tem-
porarily suspended. Israeli and Arab
leaders were to meet this week to
discuss the matter.

Israel's Ministry of Religious Af-
fairs began the excavations several
months ago. The work proceeded
without incident until Sunday, when
Israeli authorities uncovered ancient
steps leading from the canal to the
street.
Uri Mintzer, minister of religious
affairs, said Moslem leaders had been
told of the excavations.

Continued on Page 12

Jewish Aged Watch
Medicaid Battle

ALAN HITSKY

Associate Editor

The Jewish Home for Aged is in-
tensifying its lobbying efforts in Lan-
sing as a legislative conference com-
mittee debates the state's Medicaid
budget for the next fiscal year.
At stake for the JHA, as well as
all nursing homes and hospitals in
Michigan, is the level of state reim-
bursement for Medicaid patients.

JHA officials have asked members of
their board and auxiliary and Jewish
Welfare Federation leaders to lobby
for increased aid.
State legislators met Tuesday to
discuss the overall budget bill, but the
Medicaid budget will not be discuss-
ed until next week. Patience Drake,
director of health and medical affairs
for the state Office of Management
and Budget, said the House and

Continued on Page 12

