125 Religious Sites Including Cave of the Patriarchs Face Closure Due to Budget Freeze

Yehuda Avidan, CEO of the Ministry of Religious Services, informed Israel's Supreme Court that 125 religious sites across the country are expected to close starting Sunday due to a freeze on coalition budget funds. Among the sites at risk are some of the most significant and frequently visited holy places, including the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, Rachel's Tomb, and Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai's tomb in Meron. These locations attract large numbers of worshippers and visitors throughout the year.

Avidan explained that the freeze on budget transfers has left the ministry without an approved funding source necessary to continue operating these sites. He has already instructed the management of the Cave of the Patriarchs to prepare for a possible full closure due to the financial shortfall. This announcement intensifies the ongoing dispute over the budget freeze, highlighting the practical consequences of continued funding suspension: the shutdown of dozens of religious sites, including some of Israel's most sensitive and well-known holy places.