Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., March 16, 2008 Adar2 10, 5768 | | Israel Time: 07:50 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Advertising
Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 14:15 05/02/2007
City of David tunnel excavation proceeds without proper permit
By Meron Rapoport, Haaretz Correspondent, and Reuters

The excavation of a tunnel under Jerusalem's City of David has gone on for months without a license from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), as required by law.

In addition, there is no operative plan for developing the site by the Israel Nature and National Parks Protection Authority (INNPPA), which legally administers the area.

Nevertheless, no steps are being taken against the two IAA archaeologists who violated their license; instead, they are being allowed to dig in an area extending another 100 meters, to "explore" the site.
Advertisement
The archaeologists, Professor Gabi Reich and Eli Shukrun, began the dig in the area of the village of Silwan a few months ago, following the discovery of part of a road that may have been Jerusalem's main street in the Second Temple era. The dig is being financed by Elad, an association that, inter alia, works to settle Jews in East Jerusalem.

Late last year, the archaeologists showed senior government officials a plan to continue tunneling under Silwan to the Old City's Dung Gate, some 600 meters away, and perhaps even as far as the wall around the Temple Mount.

The goal, they said, was to expose the entire length of the Roman road, on the assumption that it originally led from the Silwan spring to the mount. Shukrun told Haaretz last week that the project would take about three years.

This is a very sensitive region for a dig. Should it approach the Temple Mount wall, it will certainly elicit angry reactions from the Muslim Waqf (religious trust), which has repeatedly accused Israel of trying to excavate under the holy places on the mount.

Moreover, most of the excavation site is inhabited by Palestinians, and thus far, no effort has been made to get their permission, as required by law, for digging on and under their property.

But on top of all that, it recently emerged that the dig violates the terms of the license that the archaeologists received in January 2006, and has not been approved by the INNPPA.

Dr. Gideon Avni of the IAA discovered this situation when he visited the dig in December. The current excavation, he wrote the archaeologists, "is not included in any way" on their license application. "Therefore, this is an unlicensed excavation."

At about the same time, Dr. Zvika Tsuk, the INNPPA's chief archaeologist, informed the IAA that the dig had received no permit from his organization. "In 2004, you received a permit, but never submitted a report," he wrote. "In 2005, you received a permit, but never filed a report, and in 2006, you have been digging in the City of David without a permit. I demand that the excavations be halted immediately."

Senior archaeologists told Haaretz that usually, archaeologists who violate the terms of their license are punished by being denied the right to continue excavating. But in this case, the IAA decided to extend Reich and Shukrun's license to dig in Silwan.

IAA spokeswoman Osnat Goaz said that following a "comprehensive inquiry," and in light of "the INNPPA's intention to develop the site being excavated for tourism purposes, the area of the dig was enlarged in the license granted for 2007."

But INNPPA spokesman Moshe Gabay said that there is currently "no operative plan" to develop the area for tourism, nor did the organization approve an expanded dig. Instead, he said, it approved only an "exploratory dig" of 50 to 100 meters, after which a decision will be made.

Hamas: Israel 'playing with fire' by digging near Al-Aqsa mosque
The exiled political leader of Hamas on Sunday condemned excavations by Israeli archaeologists near Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque and warned they were "playing with fire."

"I have a stern warning for the enemy," Khaled Meshal said at a news conference in the Syrian capital.

"Sharon's desecration of the Aqsa sparked the 2000 uprising. The Israeli leadership must learn from this lesson. We have confidence in our people, its masses, all of its groups and military wings," he added.

A Palestinian uprising erupted in September 2000 after a visit, condemned in the Arab world, by then opposition leader Ariel Sharon to the mosque compound in East Jerusalem, which Israel conquered in the 1967 Six Day War.

"Israel knows what its violation of the holy Aqsa will bring. It is playing with fire," Meshal said.

The exiled Hamas leader accused Israel of exploiting internal Palestinian strife, saying, "We are facing a dangerous action. Jerusalem's Muslim and Christian holy sites are dear to all Palestinians. Israel is trying to take advantage of the Palestinian internal conflict to commit its crimes," Meshal said.

The Aqsa and Dome of the Rock mosques sit above the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site, in an area referred to by Jews as the Temple Mount and Muslims as the al-Haram al-Sherif.

The Aqsa Mosque is Islam's third holiest shrine and has been a flashpoint for Israeli-Palestinian fighting in the past.

In the 1980s, Israel uncovered a plot by a group of Jews to blow up Aqsa in the hope that a new Jewish temple could be built at the site.

Muslim scholars say the excavations violate Aqsa's sanctity. Israeli officials say the work would not harm the structure of the mosque, which dates from the seventh century
Bookmark to del.icio.us  
 
Not even for Natalie
A Haredi actor quits Natalie Portman's latest film due to rabbis' protests.
Al-Jazeera boycott
Al-Jazeera slams Israeli boycott as attack on free expression.
  1.   Play with fire! 23:41  |  Jon 04/02/07
  2.   Hypocrites 23:58  |  Where`s Waldo 04/02/07
  3.   what a laugh 23:58  |  schafe82 04/02/07
  4.   hey meshal 00:05  |  vik 05/02/07
  5.   Holy Hypocrisy 00:17  |  * BEN JABO 05/02/07
  6.   "Al Aqsa" must be removed, becose it as constructed illeagaly. 01:10  |  Like it is 05/02/07
  7.   The Truth 02:21  |  hallobzeh 05/02/07
  8.   why are jews not allowed to enter the Temple Mount by other jews? 02:24  |  Bill 05/02/07
  9.   Hypocrite!! 02:32  |  Webster 05/02/07
  10.   holy sites 02:34  |  schafe82 05/02/07
  11.   IT IS TIME TO TELL HAMAS THAT IT IS PLAYING WITH FIRE 02:58  |  Meir Weinstein 05/02/07
  12.   Facts on the ground 03:24  |  Rollin 05/02/07
  13.   #9 Holy Site / Dismantling the Mosque 03:32  |  Rollin Again 05/02/07
  14.   Meshal - stop complaining - it`s getting old 03:47  |  Garry Wolf 05/02/07
  15.   we have to be respectful but firm and proceed not back down out 03:54  |  ralph 05/02/07
  16.   must tell hamas they are playing with fire. we must win this 03:55  |  ralph 05/02/07
  17.   Jews have respect for other religious sites 04:04  |  Avrum 05/02/07
  18.   The paradox of Archaeology 04:21  |  Mark Lincoln 05/02/07
  19.   And what have the Palestinians learnt? 04:26  |  Jon 05/02/07
  20.   Meshal: "Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor`s Goods!" 04:29  |  Lavi 05/02/07
  21.   And the Waqf`s reconstruction of Temple Mount? 04:52  |  Archaeology is truth 05/02/07
  22.   Muslim squatters on our Temple Mount 04:54  |  Yakov 05/02/07
  23.   Sunni Hamas is playing with fire by sleeping with Shiite-Iran 04:55  |  Joseph E . 05/02/07
  24.   City of David dig 05:09  |  David G 05/02/07
  25.   Fair and balanced coverage? 05:56  |  KT 05/02/07
  26.   juicy archaeology 06:02  |  nehemia dB 05/02/07
  27.   Maybe it is time for a little reciprocity 06:14  |  nehemia dB 05/02/07
  28.   Judaism`s holiest site? 06:30  |  David K. 05/02/07
  29.   No fact-checking 06:54  |  cab 05/02/07
  30.   Fear of the Truth 07:01  |  Israeli Academic 05/02/07
  31.   wrong. we must act with firm, careful thought and action on our 08:04  |  ralph 05/02/07
  32.   we owe same respect they showed for rachels and josephs tomb! 08:06  |  ralph 05/02/07
  33.   The Govt didn`t stop the Waqf... 08:56  |  David Teich 05/02/07
  34.   Sharon NEVER incited 2000 Intifada. It was already underway! 09:02  |  Robert Blum 05/02/07
  35.   Mashaal`s horrible nightmare. 09:24  |  Nora 05/02/07
  36.   We all play with fire 09:31  |  Stephano 05/02/07
  37.   Intifatha or a Paralyse State ? 09:52  |  Akram Zekaria 05/02/07
  38.   moriya 09:55  |  refael peretz 05/02/07
  39.   Extenuating circumstances 10:25  |  Colin Wright 05/02/07
  40.   Re #34 `...the intifada was already underway` 10:34  |  Colin Wright 05/02/07
  41.   Re: Yakov: Muslim suatters 10:42  |  Jerry 05/02/07
  42.   40: If it was easy, why couldn`t you do it Colin? 10:55  |  David Teich 05/02/07
  43.   Meron Rapoport 10:58  |  Baruch 05/02/07
  44.   The intolerence of Jews 11:29  |  Sameer 05/02/07
  45.   David #28 -- lest you confuse folks 11:50  |  bbl 05/02/07
  46.   The whole article of Mahmoud Benvenisti could be replaced by 1 li 11:51  |  Absolute Sweden 05/02/07
  47.   Colin Wright -- don`t insult the Palestinians 12:01  |  bbl 05/02/07
  48.   Taliban in GAZA 12:34  |  Rich 05/02/07
  49.   Sameer -- learn a little before you post, please 12:44  |  bbl 05/02/07
  50.   Something you all miss!!! 13:07  |  Itsik 05/02/07
  51.   #40 Get your facts straight 13:08  |  D Hirod 05/02/07
  52.   Sameer: Don`t lie (if possible...) 13:37  |  David Teich 05/02/07
  53.   50: Itsik, quit inventing 13:53  |  David Teich 05/02/07
  54.   lies on both sides have to stop 14:27  |  Richard S 05/02/07
  55.   Sameer: you mean sights unseen. 14:42  |  Shlomo 05/02/07
  56.   To Richard NO 54 14:48  |  Abraham 05/02/07
  57.   # 18 Mark Lincoln 14:50  |  Lynn 05/02/07
  58.   Fire is exactly what the provacateurs want 14:55  |  Yaakov Sullivan 05/02/07
  59.   There is nothing wrong whatsoever 15:06  |  Shlomo from Tel-Aviv 05/02/07
  60.   #50 Itzik - lay of the land 15:21  |  Kate 05/02/07
  61.   Israeli Academic, raising an acedemic point 15:25  |  Yaakov Sullivan 05/02/07
  62.   meshal, and what his people hold dear 15:32  |  natan 05/02/07
  63.   Smear #44 15:36  |  natan 05/02/07
  64.   Archeology as Political Weapon 15:36  |  Yaakov Sullivan 05/02/07
  65.   Archaelogy is indeed a science 16:04  |  Ilan 05/02/07
  66.   INTERESTING ARTICLE ! 16:14  |  David 05/02/07
  67.   jews lack courage 16:31  |  Samuel 05/02/07
  68.   #64 Who Digs Israel? 16:49  |  Kate 05/02/07
  69.   Sorry Ariel 16:49  |  Mark Lincoln 05/02/07
  70.   Mea culpa, I worked on this site as an architect... 16:55  |  zmogus 05/02/07
  71.   It is Israels land and Israels call...stop terror if you want 17:02  |  albert amato 05/02/07
  72.   #53 Teich,on the contrery 17:04  |  Itsik 05/02/07
  73.   Kate David Teich i take it back! 17:05  |  Itsik 05/02/07
  74.   #1 Jon.What mount? You mean the valley where the excavations are? 17:05  |  zmogus 05/02/07
  75.   #3, schafe82. Yes, schafe, and now looking inversely... 17:17  |  zmogus 05/02/07
  76.   I dont get it 17:21  |  AE 05/02/07
  77.   #4, vik. The end of the debate with the post #4. 17:25  |  zmogus 05/02/07
  78.   Sameer #44 17:34  |  AE 05/02/07
  79.   #4, vik. The end of the debate with the post #4. 17:36  |  zmogus 05/02/07
  80.   haaretz playing with fire 17:39  |  paulo2005 05/02/07
  81.   #70 Surely you jest! 17:48  |  Kate 05/02/07
  82.   Actually, they saved it 18:02  |  Mark Lincoln 05/02/07
  83.   Digging in the holy city. 18:19  |  curious 05/02/07
  84.   AE, what the Muslims were building on....#78 18:27  |  Yaakov Sullivan 05/02/07
  85.   Well, curious, you should havesifted through it! #83 18:37  |  Yaakov Sullivan 05/02/07
  86.   Why would Haaretz care for it -we knows why they are Arabic 18:37  |  Sal 05/02/07
  87.   #80, Kate. Glad to be able to inform you...1 18:46  |  zmogus 05/02/07
  88.   Ilan the Settler 19:02  |  wibism 05/02/07
  89.   #80, Kate. Glad to be able to inform you...2 19:06  |  zmogus 05/02/07
  90.   zmogus, you seem informed 19:13  |  Mark Lincoln 05/02/07
  91.   Y.Sullivan is so eaten up by hate of Jews and Israelis that he .. 19:14  |  Nadav 05/02/07
  92.   #87 Reiteration 19:18  |  Kate 05/02/07
  93.   nadav and his hysteria filled allegations #91 19:35  |  Yaakov Sullivan 05/02/07
  94.   This is our land - Settlements are legal 20:18  |  Bruriah Sarah 05/02/07
  95.   #92, Kate. reiteration of reiteration of reiteration...1 20:19  |  zmogus 05/02/07
  96.   # 44 Sameer -yeah right 20:20  |  ChanahS 05/02/07
  97.   Arabs dig beneath temple mount to destroy Jewish evidence 20:22  |  Bruriah Sarah 05/02/07
  98.   #90. Mark Linkoln. Just rethorical détour 20:48  |  zmogus 05/02/07
  99.   92 - Archeological evidence of David`s Tomb 21:08  |  Bruriah Sarah 05/02/07
  100.   85ysull.No. We have nothing to do with the Temple Mount Faithful. 21:27  |  curious 05/02/07
  101.   THE "HUMAN RIGHTS" SCAM 21:27  |  Wendy 05/02/07
  102.   Y.Sullivan, no, sir, I do not avoid context. What I do not avoid 22:02  |  Nadav 05/02/07
  103.   Tombs? 22:23  |  Mark Lincoln 05/02/07
  104.   Back to planet earth nadav, back to planet earth #102 22:33  |  Yaakov Sullivan 05/02/07
  105.   Mark Lincoln#82 Indeed 22:51  |  Danite 05/02/07
  106.   A Synagogue on the Kaaba 22:54  |  Moises 05/02/07
  107.   Sorry if the truth hurts Danite 23:58  |  Mark Lincoln 05/02/07
  108.   Tell me Danite 00:08  |  Mark Lincoln 06/02/07
  109.   Never fear Danite 00:09  |  Mark Lincoln 06/02/07
  110.   Ah, Moises, you really don`t have a clue do you? 00:24  |  Mark Lincoln 06/02/07
  111.   Abominable Al Aqsa (Dome) MUST GO! 00:34  |  Psalm 06/02/07
  112.   re #42 `If it was easy, why couldn`t you do it, Colin?` 00:48  |  Colin Wright 06/02/07
  113.   Re #101 `The Human rights scam` 00:58  |  Colin Wright 06/02/07
  114.   moises and psalm do not add to our credibility 01:31  |  flashman 06/02/07
  115.   Mark Lincoln # 107 01:32  |  ChanahS 06/02/07
  116.   Mark Lincoln # 110 01:36  |  ChanahS 06/02/07
  117.   moises i am sorry you made that post 01:38  |  flashman 06/02/07
  118.   Why Not Work Together? 01:49  |  Jane 06/02/07
  119.   Re #6 "al Aqsa" must be removed... 02:28  |  Colin Wright 06/02/07
  120.   ChanahS 02:45  |  Mark Lincoln 06/02/07
  121.   If al Aqsa collapse you know what will happen 02:47  |  Samir salameh 06/02/07
  122.   Jane 02:53  |  Mark Lincoln 06/02/07
  123.   mark Lincoln "you got me wrong buddy" 03:00  |  Danite 06/02/07
  124.   ChanahS 03:03  |  Danite 06/02/07
  125.   Sorry Tex Ass 05:18  |  Ilan 06/02/07
  126.   Aqsa Mosque 05:42  |  Samuel Allen 06/02/07
  127.   Islam superses both ancient religions 05:42  |  Shaft Thor 06/02/07
  128.   WHY EVERYBODY SURPRISED? 08:25  |  indrajaya 06/02/07
  129.   WHY EVERYBODY SURPRISED? 08:27  |  indrajaya 06/02/07
  130.   112: Colin, rationlizations aren`t rebuttal 09:10  |  David Teich 06/02/07
  131.   119: Speaking of absurd, Colin 09:16  |  David Teich 06/02/07
  132.   To David Teich 10:00  |  Samir Salameh 06/02/07
  133.   132: So, Samir, tell me something I don`t know 14:38  |  David Teich 06/02/07
  134.   blah, blah, blah, yadda, yadda, yadda 15:28  |  dude 06/02/07
  135.   David Leich 20:32  |  samir salameh 06/02/07
  136.   Muslim`s venerate Temple Mount - oh yeah! 06:09  |  * BEN JABO 07/02/07
  137.   135: Samir and delusions driven by hatred (3rd try) 11:29  |  David Teich 08/02/07
  138.   A single spark will ignite a prairie fire 13:55  |  Hannah 05/03/07
  139.   #110, Mark Lincoln 14:02  |  Hannah 05/03/07
  140.   City of David, But No David 15:57  |  Hans Dieter 08/03/07
  141.   God GAVE israel to the Jewish Nation. 20:05  |  Joe 10/09/07
  142.   Jews are back 23:08  |  victor sondos 15/03/08
  143.   TO Lakshmi 07:31  |  Chris 16/03/08
 Today Online
Bradley Burston: Ten Commandments for Arab and Jew at war
Responses: 343
Officials: IAF helicopter hit by Palestinian fire over Gaza
Responses: 312
Police arrest rabbi for 'inciting Palestinians' in East Jerusalem
Responses: 163
State Dept. notes rise in world anti-Semitism over last decade
Responses: 288
Haaretz.com TV: Al Jazeera slams Israeli boycott as attack on freedom of expression
Responses: 88
Rosner's Domain
If you marry them, you have a better chance of keeping them
State Department: UN measures fuel anti-Semitism (WTR)
Poll: Is the "road map" still relevant?
Neocons and the cultural proclivity of Jews (WTR)
General Fraser and the third whiner


More Headlines
02:46 IAF strike kills three Islamic Jihad militants in northern Gaza
02:20 ANALYSIS: Israel can expect an imminent end to the Gaza lull
22:54 Report: Syria wants 'public' peace talks with Israel
07:11 Bush to push Israel, PA for progress before his May visit
00:29 Firebombs hurled into home of Jewish Agency representative in U.S.
01:59 Netanyahu says will sue Ch. 10 for report he overspent on London trip
07:00 Tibetan exiles in Tel Aviv protest Chinese crackdown in Tibet
02:34 Merkel to arrive in Israel, will be first chancellor to address Knesset
04:18 U.S. gov't asks Congress to okay plan to boost funds for PA police
02:56 Iran conservatives stay ahead in vote count
20:06 EU demands Israel halt all construction in W. Bank, E. J'lem
05:52 Falashmura seeking to immigrate to Israel complaint about treatment
Previous Editions
Special Offers
Advertisement
FAREWELL ISRAEL New Film
The Coming War for Islamic Revival - View Movie Trailer
READY FOR PURIM?
BUT - Who Will Guard The Hamentasch?
Free the Palestinians from:
Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy
Long-term Israel programs
MASA is your gateway. More programs. More grants.
NEW! Dan Boutique Jerusalem Hotel
Hip Dan Hotel in Jerusalem. Attractive Introductory Rates
7589 rockets fired so far
HELP US TO HELP THEM
FREE JEWISH HISTORY COURSE
Berel Wein's best selling lectures. 5000 Years in Five hours /CD/MP3
Marina Royale Herzelia Pituach
Your Luxurious Suite While Staying in Israel
Fattal Hotel Chain
Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel
Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th
Eldan Rent a Car
Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
Junkyard
Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved