By Hana Levi Julian and Alex Traiman, September 5, 2007.
A large trench being dug on the Temple Mount is destroying a never before
uncovered section of the outer wall of the Second Temple. The construction is
being supervised by the Wakf-the Muslim Authority acting as custodians to the
Temple Mount.
Israeli archaeologists have been calling for construction to halt on the trench,
which is approximately 1,300 feet long and five feet deep. The Wakf claims the
trench is being dug to replace 40-year-old electrical cables for nearby mosques.
Muslims dig a trench across the temple mount destroying ancient artifacts
Photo: The Temple Movement New photos of construction debris from the
Temple Mount show carved stones casually dumped in a pile that appear to be
a section of the outer wall of the Second Temple, according to archaeologist
Dr. Eilat Mazar.
According to Rabbi Chaim Richman, International Director of the Temple
Institute, the Wakf is intentionally digging in areas where “undoubtedly the
Temple once stood.” “For the first time since the Temple’s destruction, a
section of the Temple Wall itself has been exposed,” Richman said. “And the
Wakf under the guise of laying down electrical pipes has dug a trench,
destroying the most important holy artifact ever found to date.”
Richman contends that the Temple remains are being “purposely destroyed with
no supervision,” calling the government’s tolerance of the construction
“complicit cooperation.”
According to a report by WorldNetDaily, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert personally
gave permission for bulldozers, steam shovels and other heavy equipment to be
used to dig the trench.
Israel Police look on as Muslim tractor destroys Temple treasures The Temple
Movement “This is an extraordinarily serious offense,” Richman states. “A
corrupt, spiritually bankrupt government is allowing Judaism’s holiest site to be
trashed because of political agreements to officially hand over the Temple
Mount to the Palestinian Authority. Jews in Israel and abroad are asleep, and
have not awakened to the importance of the Temple in Judaism or the
desecration of this holy site being performed daily by the Wakf.”
The Israel Antiquities Authority approved the construction despite
archaeologists’ concern that precious artifacts are being destroyed. The
Authority, which digs for religious artifacts across the State of Israel, has not
inspected construction on Judaism’s holiest site even once since the work
began, despite continuous calls for the construction to be supervised and
halted.
English spokesman for the Israeli Police, Mickey Rosenfeld asserts that the
police stationed on the Temple Mount will not prevent the construction because
the Antiquities Authority approved the dig.
The Wakf has denied that any Jewish artifacts have been discovered during the
dig, but new photos of work on the Mount belie the claim, clearly showing
what is likely to be an ancient piece of carved wall.
The wall in question is from the outer wall of the Temple itself, as opposed to
the Western Wall, which is a remnant of the retaining wall around the larger
Temple platform.
Mazar, a member of the faculty at Hebrew University and a member of the
Public Committee for Prevention of the Destruction of Antiquities on the Temple
Mount, says it is “crucial this wall is inspected.” She explains that the current
ground level of the Temple Mount is slightly above the original Temple Mount
platform, “meaning anything found is likely from the Temple itself.”
Mazar insists that she must personally inspect the stones to confirm their
status, and attempted to inspect the site last week. She was stopped by Israeli
police who are protecting the construction.
“The only hope is for Jews and non-Jews from across the world to stand up
and start putting pressure on the religious, political and archaeological
communities to immediately halt this process,” Richman concludes. “The whole
world is wondering what the Jews are doing, allowing their most precious site,
the Holy of Holies to be destroyed right before their eyes.”
