Several Israeli Knesset signed off on an appeal to the President of Lithuania urging his government to cancel its plan to build a conference center on the Shipishok cemetery in Vilnius, Lithuania.
The MKs included, MK Shuli Moalem-Refaeli, MK Yair Lapid, MK Dov Khenin, MK Michael Malkieli, MK Yinon Azoulay, MK Dan Sida, MK Nurit Koren, MK Rachel Azaria, MK Israel Eichler, MK Uri Maklev, MK Michael Malkieli, and MK Dan Sida.
The letter states: "We were extremely upset to hear about plans that the Government of Lithuania intends to renew the use of the destroyed structure in the ancient cemetery of Vilnius (Vilna) and use it as a convention center. Its foundations are the burial site of our rabbis, our righteous holy leaders and good people who serve as sources of inspiration and guides for the Jewish people to this very day."
The cemetery is the resting place to between 50,000 to 70,000 Jewish souls.
The members of the Israeli Knesset urged the President to find an alternative. "The plans that we have heard about would seriously offend the entire Jewish nation. We therefore wholeheartedly request, out of respect for the Jewish nation and its values, that you do all that you can to cancel the plan to make this site a convention center. We are sure that you can find a reasonable alternative."
The letter was ignored.
