The first child born to a group of Orthodox Jews who settled in the West Bank town of Hebron last year was circumcised yesterday and named Shneur Hebron. The ceremonies were attended by Menachem Beigin, Minister-Without-Portfolio in the coalition Cabinet, who acted as “sandak,” The family wanted the circumcision performed at the Machpela Cave in Hebron, reputed site of the Patriarchs’ tombs but the military government refused permission. The cave lies within the compound of the El Ibrahimi mosque and has been a source of friction between Jewish and Moslem worshippers.
The settlers came to Hebron last Passover and refused to leave although they had no permit to settle in the town which had been exclusively Arab since 1936. The military government permitted them to stay on condition that they observed all of its regulations. Mr. Begin, who heads the rights wing, nationalist Herut Party, had advocated Israel’s annexation of all occupied Arab territories.
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