Rabbi Shya Yaakov Stauber at Anti-Zionist Protest in Washington DC

Washington - Over two thousand fervently Orthodox Jews protested outside the White House against the excavation of ancient graves in Israel. The protest, organized by True Torah Jews, the Central Rabbinical Congress, and Asra Kadisha, took place Tuesday July 6 2010 to coincide with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit with President Obama. According to Rabbi David Niederman, a representative for the Central Rabbinical Congress, the protest had three goals. In addition to raising awareness about what the groups view as the desecration of ancient gravesites in Ashkelon and Jaffa, event organizers wanted to draw a distinction between the state of Israel and the Jewish people. They also wanted to protest the Israeli government's suppression of protesters in Israel who disapprove of the excavations. "Free speech and religion must prevail," Niederman said. "The state of Israel does not represent the Jewish people." Protesters delivered a petition to Israel's embassy in Washington on Tuesday morning. According to Niederman, the embassy refused to accept the petition