As reported in a previous posting, on Sunday an expanded panel of Israel's Supreme Court conducted a hearing on the legitimacy of the government's plans to destroy most of the synagogues in the Gaza Strip now that Israel has disengaged from the area. Arutz Sheva reported that on Tuesday, the Court's seven judge panel issued a unanimous interim decision. According to an AP report on the decision, the Court called on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to "issue official requests to different authorities (the Palestinian Authority, the secretary of the United Nations and the president of the United States) in order to ensure that with the transfer of all of Gaza to Palestinian control, the synagogues will be preserved and not demolished."
Reacting to the ruling, the Palestinian Authority Cabinet demanded that Israel demolish or move the synagogues, according to a report today by the Palestine Media Center. Palestinian leaders argue that they will be subject to firece criticism if they destroy the synagogues, but if they do not, the buildings are likely to become a rallying point for radical groups.
