I wrote something just recently that points to Netanyahu's shaky foundations.
Now, with the Jerusalem city engineer ordering the Mughrabi Gate access closed, by the way, again, things are moving but still, directionless.
The Jerusalem Municipality's chief engineer Shlomo Eshkol said Thursday that he planned to issue an immediate order for the closure of the Rambam Bridge (also known as the Mughrabi Bridge), currently the only entry point to the Temple Mount for Jews and non-Muslim tourists. In a letter to the Western Wall Foundation, which is responsible for the structure, Eshkol said that the bridge structure was very dangerous and in danger of immediate collapse, and could easily catch fire as well. The order to close the bridge would be issued within 7 days, the letter said.
As Nadav Shragai notes:
Israel has lost its bearings when it comes to the Mughrabi Bridge affair...we received support from UNESCO, and even from Turkey, who rejected the "Al-Aqsa is in danger" accusations that some have tried to pin on Israel. We installed cameras that broadcast live to the world the archaeological "rescue digs" conducted in the area, but mostly we chatted with Jordan ad nauseum.
Perhaps now it is time for us to admit our mistakes. After the Six-Day War, the Temple Mount turned into something of an "ex-territory" that Israel has tiptoed around on eggshells, cautiously enforcing its sovereignty and constantly taking into consideration the feelings of the Muslim world. In our peace treaty with Jordan, it was afforded special status as supervisor of Jerusalem's holy sites, and it was agreed that Jordan would serve as the leading Arab authority over the Temple Mount in the event of a comprehensive peace deal between Israel and its neighboring Arab countries.
...Israel's mistake has been that it never clearly delineated the Temple Mount from the areas surrounding it – thus giving Jordan increasing influence over the mount's external walls and the adjacent areas.
From there, the path was a short one to a Jordanian veto and threats to expel our ambassador over the Mughrabi Bridge, which, in any case, is part of the Western Wall Plaza!...
...The Mughrabi Gate is not a holy site, and there is no reason for it to be the only place for security forces, tourists and Jews to access the Temple Mount...
If we can't adequately deal with this issue, how can we take on Iran?
^
Posts
2 comments:
Dear YMedad:
As I deeply can read the articles you cite, I would like to say there are oftentimes other kind of reasons to justify some heritage interventions.
The Western Wall Foundation could ask for an independent report about the bridge structure before the deadline. This bridge can be shored up and protected by some materials or substances respect to the easy possibility catch fire.
The Government of Israel should then clearly define the final design of the access structure, whose principal aim should be to restore the Mughrabi pathway without any major change to its structure and shape, in order to maintain the values of authenticity and integrity of the site.
This process should be supervised by an international team of experts coordinated by UNESCO and involving in particular structural engineers and architects in order to ensure the most appropriate solution for the restoration of the Mughrabi pathway.
Rush is the worst counsel always.
Rafael Ignacio Puras Abad
Civil servant Spanish architect (Cultural Heritage)
Dear Rafael,
This issue has been going on for years. Rush is the last description that is proper.
"The current structure has been in place since 2004, when the permanent bridge at the site collapsed due to winter storms that year. However, the rickety wood structure now used by hundreds of people a day was never meant to be used this long and this extensively. The Western Wall Foundation has sought for years to obtain a permit for remodeling and rebuilding the structure, and that permit was finally issued earlier this year."
"•During the winter of 2004, the sand embankment in Jerusalem’s Old City known as the Mughrabi Ascent – which provides access to the Mughrabi Gate of the Temple Mount from the area of the Western Wall – collapsed due to rainstorms, snow, and a minor earthquake...a temporary wooden bridge was erected.
•The Jerusalem District Court has determined that the temporary bridge is no longer a suitable solution and has upheld the legality of the plan to replace it with a permanent bridge. •Israel has acted with total transparency, allowing international supervision over the excavations at the location (by UNESCO and Turkey), and even positioned cameras that provided live transmission of the archaeological activities there. A UNESCO delegation report on 12 March 2007 determined that “no work is being conducted inside the Haram es-Sharif [Temple Mount], nor is there anything in the nature of the works being performed at this stage that could constitute a threat to the stability of the Western Wall and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
Post a Comment