Mohammed Mar'i Saudi Gazette RAMALLAH – Israeli authorities on Monday began new excavations near Al-Aqsa Mosque Complex in occupied Jerusalem, a Palestinian foundation said. The Al-Aqsa Foundation for Endowment and Heritage said that the Israeli authorities began the excavations in the southern part of Al-Magharebah Gate, the eastern part of the Umayyad palaces and at the entrance of the Wadi Hilweh neighborhood. The three sites are located in Jerusalem's Old City. The foundation said that its inspection teams documented the new excavations in the three sites. It added that these excavations take place at night and are covered with tents and plastic sheets. It warned that the use of huge machines in the excavation work in the area puts in serious danger the foundations of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. It added that the Israeli will build in the sites several facilities, including synagogue for women, restroom facilities, police station, tourists' centers, a network of bridges and iron stairs. The foundation stressed that goal of excavations “is to Judaize Jerusalem and the collapse of Al-Aqsa Mosque to build the so-called second temple on ruins of it.” It described the Israeli move as “a theft and piracy against the Islamic civilization and culture.” On May, Israel called off a planned visit by a technical delegation from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to inspect conservation work in Jerusalem's Old City, saying that the Palestinians had “politicized” the delegation. The UN body said in a statement at the time that the mission's goals were to “examine the state of conservation of the Old City of Jerusalem and its walls, a World Heritage site.” The Old City of Jerusalem was placed on UNESCO's list of World Heritage sites in 1981. The mission was to present its report and recommendations before the beginning of the World Heritage Committee's annual meeting on June 1. The delegation was supposed to arrive as part of a deal between Israel and the Palestinians in April whereby Israel would let the delegation tour the Old City, and the Palestinians would postpone five anti-Israel resolutions pending before the body. The five resolutions dealt with the Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound, the Al-Magharebah Bridge, Bethlehem, Hebron and Gaza. Under the deal, Israel agreed to attend a UNESCO meeting to be held in June in Paris to discuss the Al-Magharebah Bridge.
