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| A vandalized bus stop in Jerusalem |
Several Ultra-Orthodox Jews have decided that the new bus stops that were built in their Jerusalem neighborhood recently will cause men and women to sin, according to a statement released by the Israeli Transportation Authority.
Jerusalem Police have asked the public to come forward and provide information in order to be able to charge those behind the vandalism.
The vandals, who attacked bus stops in the Geula neighborhood of Jerusalem this week, left a number of new bus stops severely damaged, according to photos uploaded to the internet.
Several ultra-Orthodox Jews claimed that there was an agreement between the community and the transportation authority that the new bus stops would not be equipped with regular benches. After the new bus stops were installed with conventional benches, radicals in the area decided that it was unacceptable and the bus stops were quickly destroyed.
Bus stops equipped with benches cause men and women to mingle together at night, which can lead to sin, some radical ultra-Orthodox Jews claimed.
Bus stops without benches would have prevented that, they claimed. Benjamin Machlev, an official responsible for transportation services in Jerusalem, said that the damage amounts to hundreds of thousands of shekels. Local politicians also urged residents of the community to provide information in order to help bring those responsible to justice.
