Israeli army escorts ultra-Orthodox Jews to religious site in south Lebanon: What to know
The Israeli military allowed hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Israeli civilians into southern Lebanon to visit a religious site, meeting condemnation from Lebanon's army.
A group of Israeli civilians escorted by the military entered southern Lebanon on Friday to visit a religious site in what Lebanon’s army called a violation of international law and the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire agreement that came into effect in November.
The group of roughly 250 ultra-Orthodox Israelis entered the tomb where they believe Babylonian Jewish scholar Rabbi Ashi was buried. The tomb is located on the outskirts of Houla in southern Lebanon and lies on the Blue Line — a demarcation line established by the UN in 2000 between Israel and Lebanon.
לראשונה: מאות חסידים הגיעו לפנות בוקר להתפלל את תפילת שחרית בקבר רב אשי, במובלעת בשטח לבנון, באישור צה״ל ותחת אבטחה צה״לית pic.twitter.com/yfs8c6cSK2
— דורון קדוש | Doron Kadosh (@Doron_Kadosh) March 7, 2025
Israel's Army Radio reported that the group of ultra-Orthodox Israelis arrived early Friday to perform morning prayers at the tomb “with the permission of the Israeli army and under the army’s protection.”
This is the first time under the ceasefire that Israelis have been allowed by the military to visit the tomb. The same group had reportedly tried to access the site several times in recent weeks but were obstructed by Israeli troops.
