Aura, a real estate development firm, confirmed to Arutz Sheva–Israel National News that human remains were extracted from one of its construction sites in Yehud, located in central Israel. The company emphasized that the removal was conducted in strict accordance with halacha (Jewish law) and under the guidance of an Orthodox rabbi with expertise in these matters.
This acknowledgment followed a decision by the Israel Antiquities Authority to file a complaint with the police and freeze construction activities. The suspension came after unauthorized individuals entered the site during the night, removed human remains, and took archaeological artifacts—an act considered a serious breach of Israeli law.
The Antiquities Authority reported that those involved were acting on behalf of Aura. It expressed deep concern over the incident, declaring, “The Antiquities Authority sees this incident with great severity. Antiquities are the heritage of us all.”
The disputed project is part of a major redevelopment initiative in Yehud involving the demolition of ten aging buildings and the planned construction of 444 new residential units. For weeks, radical chareidi demonstrators have protested at the site, alleging the presence of Jewish graves beneath the area designated for development.
In response to the Antiquities Authority’s actions, Aura rejected the legality of the stop-work order, calling it an unjustified concession to extremists. The company insisted it had complied fully with the terms set by the authority and pointed out that the bones discovered did not meet the legal criteria to be defined as antiquities, thereby rendering the order invalid in their view.
Aura further claimed that the halt in construction has inflicted significant financial losses and accused the Antiquities Authority of failing to honor its commitments. The company warned that if the construction ban is not lifted, it will consider taking legal measures.
The company confirmed that human remains were found at the site, explaining, “Since the remains were not removed, and in order to avoid further delays to the construction and to ensure the respectful handling of the remains in accordance with halacha, our company engaged a recognized Orthodox rabbi and a professional experienced in this field, including with the ZAKA organization. Indeed, on Friday and Saturday night, work began to remove the remains, with coordination as required with the Chevra Kadisha to ensure burial in a recognized cemetery according to halachic law. It should be noted that our company even purchased burial plots for this purpose. All actions were carried out according to the professional guidance of the rabbi and the expert present on site.”
Tensions escalated further late Thursday night when dozens of chareidi rioters stormed the homes of Aura’s senior executives in Tel Aviv. They vandalized property, hurled bags of excrement, and physically assaulted members of CEO Yaakov Atrakchi’s family. The deputy CEO’s home was also targeted with similar acts of destruction.
Aura denounced these attacks as “a dangerous escalation” and revealed that only a week earlier, the graves of Atrakchi’s parents had been desecrated. The company also criticized law enforcement, claiming the police had received prior warnings about the planned assaults but failed to intervene.
{Matzav.com Israel}