MK Shuli Mualem-Rafaeli (Habayit Hayehudi) and some 20 other lawmakers from both sides of the political divide are urging Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman to make the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron accessible to disabled visitors.
The biblical figures Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, and Leah are believed to have been buried at the site, which lies in the historic part of Hebron in Judea.
Because Abraham is considered the patriarch of the nation by both Muslims and Jews, the site is holy to both religions and has often become a point of contention and violence.
In a letter addressed to Lieberman, the MKs argue that it is imperative from a humanitarian perspective to provide people with disabilities easy access to the site, noting that the matter is not a political one.
"More than a million people visit the site each year; Arabs and Jews arrive at the site day after day, but a significant number of people cannot go inside and take part in the prayers and family events there," the letter states. "Jews, Muslims and Christians who are elderly, disabled or pregnant cannot make it there because it lacks the necessary accommodations."
The Commission for Equal Rights for People with Disabilities and the State Comptroller's Office have previously said that the cave must be upgraded to accommodate the disabled, but so far, no steps have been taken to improve accessibility.
