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del.icio.us Digg It!  new Temple Mount dig on hold pending cabinet approval By Akiva Eldar, Jack Khoury and Yair Ettinger A salvage dig near the Temple Mount's Mughrabi Gate will not be resumed just yet, after Culture Minister Ghaleb Majadele appealed to the cabinet yesterday against a ministerial committee's decision to restart the work. In his letter to the cabinet, Majadele, who is responsible for the Israel Antiquities Authority, said that resumption of the work is liable to cause riots, especially coming so shortly before Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's planned departure for the Annapolis peace conference. He also asked that opinions be solicited from all the relevant agencies, including the Antiquities Authority and UNESCO, before any decision is made. The dig is a precursor to the planned construction of a bridge leading to the Mughrabi Gate. The bridge would replace an access ramp that collapsed a few years ago. Advertisement Hadash Party Chairman Mohammed Barakeh assailed the ministerial committee's decision yesterday, terming it a "provocation" aimed at "torpedoing the meeting in Annapolis, and the negotiations with the Palestinians, before they have even begun." "This further reveals the true and well-known face of the Olmert-Barak-Lieberman government," he continued, adding that the decision could set the entire region on fire. The Islamic Movement also blasted the decision, saying that it indicates Israel's true intentions at the Annapolis conference. "The Palestinians must understand that this is the moment for internal dialogue on establishing a national unity government that would uphold vital Palestinian interests in the face of Israel's attempt to undermine them," it declared in a statement. It also urged Muslims from all over Israel to go to Jerusalem and "demonstrate a presence." Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, chief rabbi of the Western Wall, retorted that the planned construction is vital to the safety of people visiting the Wall, and urged that it be completed as soon as possible. He also rejected Arab claims that the work is being carried out under the Temple Mount itself. "These are false claims that lack even a shred of truth," he said. "Work in the Temple Mount compound would violate halakha (Jewish law)." Such accusations, he added, "inflame hatred and incitement for no reason. Politics must be distanced from the holy places and stick to the facts." Bookmark to del.icio.us Public discontent Teachers are replacing port workers in the public's mind as the 'official, serial national strikers.' Bad for academia? A Haifa professor says funding from corporations gives rise to some ethical conundrums.

Today Online Bradley Burston: Ann Coulter's dream of a Jew-free America Responses: 314 Ministers approve renewal of dig at disputed Mugrabi Gate Responses: 87 Report: Abducted IDF soldiers transferred to Iran after capture Responses: 161 Rice arrives in region to help advance peace talks ahead of summit Responses: 146 Gideon Levy: Israeli journalists can go to Syria and Iraq, but not to the Gaza Strip Responses: 54 More Headlines 02:37 Sources: Rice won't impose any conditions on Israel 20:24 AG orders probe against PM over new corruption suspicions 16:16 Barak heads to United States to promote Israeli rocket defense 22:11 Rabin killer Amir asks to attend son's upcoming circumcision 14:51 Israel refuses entry to 6 Gazans in urgent need of medical care 22:42 London Jews celebrate U.K. Jewish history in Trafalgar Square rally 21:59 Islamic Movement leader urges fellow Ra'am-Ta'al MK to quit Knesset 17:57 Israeli historian wins German Book Trade's 2007 peace prize 22:52 Organizers call off T.A. peace concert after one in Jericho cancelled 13:33 Israel denies report that abducted IDF soldiers were turned over to Iran 17:54 Teachers, Treasury conclude meeting over strike without breakthrough 14:06 Lieberman seeks to encourage aliyah of Russian Jews from Canada 15:02 Mugrabi excavations delayed due to appeal by Arab minister Previous Editions Select Day 14 oct 12 oct 11 oct 10 oct 09 oct 08 oct 07 oct 05 oct 04 oct 03 oct 02 oct 01 oct

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