A-G holds off acting
against Wakf Temple Mount construction
By Etgar Lefkovits
JERUSALEM (June 23) - Following a meeting with police and security officials
yesterday afternoon, Attorney-General Elyakim Rubinstein decided not to take
any steps for now regarding the Wakf construction at the Temple Mount.
His decision came despite a newly released Jerusalem Municipality report
detailing serious building violations by the Moslem authorities around the
site.
The meeting at the attorney-general's office was held to formulate a
response to a petition to the High Court of Justice
asking the government to stop the Wakf from carrying out work at the Temple
Mount.
Jerusalem Municipality officials expressed their dismay that they were not
invited to take part in the meeting, especially in light of the municipality's
own report of continuing archeological damage being done at the site. The
report notes that two new structures, as well as a number of portable
structures, were discovered by municipal officials on a recent inspection and
that work is continuing at Solomon's Stables.
A Justice Ministry spokesman was unable to explain why the municipality was
not invited to the meeting.
"Due to the fact that no damage to antiquities is being done at the
present time, and since there is no digging being conducted on the surface
level according to reports from the Antiquities Authority, and considering the
special sensitivities of the Temple Mount, there is no room at the present time
to take additional steps," read the Justice Ministry's response outlining
the government's position regarding the petition.
Antiquities Authority Jerusalem regional archeologist, Jon Seligman,
responsible for issuing inspection reports to the attorney-general, told The
Jerusalem Post that currently only minor changes were being made to the surface
of the Temple Mount, noting that the real damage was carried out four months
ago.
But spokeswoman for the nonpartisan Committee Against the Desecration of
Antiquities on the Temple Mount Dr. Eilat Mazar charged the Antiquities
Authority with using misleading terminology in its reports of what sort of work
is damaging, and said any digging on the surface of the Temple Mount causes
damage.
"The level of the Temple Mount is at the same level as it was during
the Second Temple period, so that even 5 or 10 cm. of digging has to be checked
out by archeologists" she told the Post.
Mazar pointed out that her group had also asked the attorney-general for
permission to attend yesterday's meeting, but were turned down.
Meanwhile, The Temple Mount Faithful filed a separate petition to the High
Court yesterday against the government, the police, the attorney-general, the
Antiquities Authority, the Jerusalem Munici-pality, and the Wakf for not
preventing the ongoing Wakf construction at the Temple Mount, including the
building of a fourth mosque at the site.
The petition accuses the law enforcement officials of acquiescing to threats
of violence by turning a blind eye to Wakf construction.
"Unlike in previous cases, the works are at a beginning stage"
read the petition, "so the authorities can stop them in advance."
"What is going on at the Temple Mount is a disgrace and an
embarrassment" said Jerusalem Prize winner for the year 2000 Dr. Roni
Reich, one of Israel's leading archeologists. "If the destruction is not
stopped, it will be a calamity for generations."