Arabs Ignoring High Court Ruling, Dumping Artifacts off Temple Mount
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A tractor working on the Temple Mount, Dec. 24th.
Photo Credit: Yitzchak Dvira
A demonstration was held last Wednesday (Dec. 26) at the northern entrance to the Temple Mount, in protest of the Waqf’s continued destruction of archeological artifacts on the holy site. The demonstrators, led by MK Aryeh Eldad, called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to intervene and to stop the obliteration of these priceless antiques by the Waqf.
The Waqf, a Jordanian Muslim religious body entrusted with the management of the Temple Mount, has been renovating the site for years. In the process, they have been moving mounds of earth off the mountain. These piles contain numerous archaeological artifacts from many centuries. In 2004, the High Court of Justice passed a ruling prohibiting the removal of the dirt from the Temple Mount to other locations until the contents are combed for artifacts.
Archaeologist Yitzchak Dvira has recently published a report about the Waqf’s ongoing disregard of the High Court’s ruling. In his report he states that since the ruling in 2004, large piles of earth have accumulated on the eastern side of the Temple Mount, and the Waqf continues to move earth from the Temple Mount to dump sites in East Jerusalem. Dvira has documented several recent incidents of heavy machinery moving earth away from the Temple Mount. These actions have resulted in the loss of artifacts important to understanding the Jewish, Christian and Muslim history of the site.
Dvira and his crew have sifted through the piles of earth removed from the Mount and have recovered many artifacts belonging to various historical periods. They have recovered seals baring the names of priests mentioned in the book of Jeremiah, support beams from the First Temple, remnants of the structure of the Second Temple, arrow heads and horse-shoe nails from the Crusade period and even artifacts from the Muslim period.
Dvira states that he sees dozens such artifacts every day in the mounds on the side of the Temple Mount. He told Tazpit News Agency that he believes the earth piles should be removed, but it should be done in a supervised fashion, ensuring no further losses. Dvira submitted his report to the police who have released a statement declaring that all construction on the Temple Mount is under their close supervision, and that Dvira’s claims are incorrect. As of now, all other supervisory agencies have not provided a response.
Dvira points out that all issues regarding the Temple Mount are overseen by the Prime Minister’s Office, and he suspects that there is consent on their part to the Waqf’s actions. PM Netanyahu met with King Abdullah of Jordan last week, and Dvira believes they discussed issues related to the Temple Mount project. The Jordanians have been pressuring the Israeli Government to allow the removal of the earth mounds on the side of the Temple Mount.
Dvira and the Temple Mount organizations warn that this continued neglect and disregard of the law will bring to further loss of historic relics. They intend to petition the High Court once more soon.
tell a friendAbout the Author: Aryeh Savir is director of the International division of Tazpit News Agency.
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This story is a great example of the dichotomy Israel's society compared to their Arab counterparts. Israel is a land with rules, a justice system, and a chain of command. On the other hand, the Arabs feel they don't need to obey the law, they can do whatever they want and it doesn't matter if it's legal or not. This attitude can be attributed to the international communities long standing practice of Arab appeasement. The world will make a big stink when Israel builds on their own land. In the mean time, Arab nations are free to act like a bunch of Neanderthal thugs. A few days ago, I heard some great news, Richard Falk, the rabid anti Semite who has been slandering Israel for years was finally fired as head of the U.N. human rights committee. But, look how long it took and the damage this pig inflicted on Israel. Everyone at the U.N. knew what Falk was doing, but they didn't care. It should be of no surprise that the Arabs feel they can get away with anything because they can. This is why I have been saying for years that Israel should make decisions on what is best for them and let outsiders go screw themselves. When Obama sent Hillary Clinton to Israel and told Netanyahu to stop the "pillar of defense"operation, they promised that they would protect Israel and go after whoever was involved with committing the illegal act. What do I read, the missile attacks resumed and no response from Obama When the international community pressured Israel to give up land and pull out of strategic checkpoints throughout the country, I heard a lot of the same promises and there was the same results, nothing promised was followed through. What Israel has to finally learn is the world is full of shit, the promises made to Israel are premeditated acts if deceit. Israel must understand that this policy of listening to others must stop. If Netanyahu would have said to Clinton, there will be be no stoppage of the operation until the area is cleansed of Hamas and any other Arab wacko group is rooted out and there will be not one more act of murder of an Israeli citizen at the hands of Hamas, if other Arabs are caught assisting Hamas, they will be destroyed as well, we wouldn't have these ongoing issues. In a nutshell, Israel's problems stem from the fact that they are a civil nation in an uncivilized world.
This story is a great example of the dichotomy Israel's society compared to their Arab counterparts. Israel is a land with rules, a justice system, and a chain of command. On the other hand, the Arabs feel they don't need to obey the law, they can do whatever they want and it doesn't matter if it's legal or not. This attitude can be attributed to the international communities long standing practice of Arab appeasement. The world will make a big stink when Israel builds on their own land. In the mean time, Arab nations are free to act like a bunch of Neanderthal thugs. A few days ago, I heard some great news, Richard Falk, the rabid anti Semite who has been slandering Israel for years was finally fired as head of the U.N. human rights committee. But, look how long it took and the damage this pig inflicted on Israel. Everyone at the U.N. knew what Falk was doing, but they didn't care. It should be of no surprise that the Arabs feel they can get away with anything because they can. This is why I have been saying for years that Israel should make decisions on what is best for them and let outsiders go screw themselves. When Obama sent Hillary Clinton to Israel and told Netanyahu to stop the "pillar of defense"operation, they promised that they would protect Israel and go after whoever was involved with committing the illegal act. What do I read, the missile attacks resumed and no response from Obama When the international community pressured Israel to give up land and pull out of strategic checkpoints throughout the country, I heard a lot of the same promises and there was the same results, nothing promised was followed through. What Israel has to finally learn is the world is full of shit, the promises made to Israel are premeditated acts if deceit. Israel must understand that this policy of listening to others must stop. If Netanyahu would have said to Clinton, there will be be no stoppage of the operation until the area is cleansed of Hamas and any other Arab wacko group is rooted out and there will be not one more act of murder of an Israeli citizen at the hands of Hamas, if other Arabs are caught assisting Hamas, they will be destroyed as well, we wouldn't have these ongoing issues. In a nutshell, Israel's problems stem from the fact that they are a civil nation in an uncivilized world.
STOP THE DESTRUCTION!
STOP THE DESTRUCTION!
A picture is worth a thousand words. This picture shows major earth removal on the Temple Mount. Who exactly was supervising this work complies with the law on protecting archeology?
Can someone in authority provide proof that there is appropriate supervision?
This site is the most important Jewish site in the world both for religious and historic reasons.
Unless you are of the view of the Wahabis that it is a good thing to obliterate historical buildings, this action damages one of the very few buildings ever mentioned in the Koran.
Everyone of good will should be outraged.
get rid of them for heaven sakes, its a no brainer! don't forget to throw in a few hundred thousand shekels fine or the return of every dug up artifact do date or both. arab fools shouldn't be alowed to go unsupervised, theyre butchers.
get rid of them for heaven sakes, its a no brainer! don't forget to throw in a few hundred thousand shekels fine or the return of every dug up artifact do date or both. arab fools shouldn't be alowed to go unsupervised, theyre butchers.
From a group of people who do not recognize Israel, how could anyone expect them to recognize Israel's High Court? IMO, IDF tanks will be coming in Jaffa Gate in the future.
It is about time that Israel throw out WAQF and take over the Mount. How long is Israel supposed to just look the other way and let these BASTARDS destroy heritage? When is Israel finally going to say NO MORE. We will take over and the hell with you and what the rest of the idiots have to say.
Time to start construction of the Third Temple. Daylights burning pilgrim.
Breach of trust is a dangerous thing to do…
Breach of trust is a dangerous thing to do…