Construction Work in Israeli Haredi Neighborhood Sparks Outrage on High Holiday

Heavy construction equipment was documented operating on the second day of Rosh Hashanah, a major Jewish holiday, during infrastructure work for a new Haredi neighborhood in western Kiryat Gat. The "Mearava" administration, responsible for promoting the neighborhood, stated that a subcontractor, who is not Jewish, carried out the work independently and without authorization.

The administration confirmed that the work involved land preparation for the neighborhood's construction and was not related to road safety or life-saving activities. They assured that the matter would be handled seriously and that procedures have been clarified to prevent similar incidents in the future.

This incident follows a similar report in April from Channel 13, which documented infrastructure work on Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath) in a different southern location designated for the new Haredi city of "Pulugot." That footage also showed heavy machinery, including bulldozers, tractors, and trucks.

Following the April incident, MK Yitzhak Goldknopf condemned the work on Shabbat and demanded explanations from the responsible parties. The two projects, Kiryat Gat West and Pulugot, are distinct: Kiryat Gat West is a neighborhood within an existing city, while Pulugot is a planned new city.