Document: Letter signed by Right and Left to PM Barak to prevent
continuation of destruction of antiquities on Temple Mount

Aaron Lerner Date: 8 June, 2000

The following is IMRA's translation of an advertisement that appeared in the
Hebrew edition of Ha'aretz on 8 June 2000:

To Prime Minister Ehud Barak

Call For The Prevention Of The Continuation Of The Destruction Of
Antiquities On The Temple Mount In Jerusalem.

Serious acts of vandalism and the irreparable destruction of antiquities is
taking place in the Temple Mount Compound, one of the most important
archeological sites in Israel and the world. This is taking place in gross
violation of the Antiquities Law while the Antiquities Authority is
prevented from acting.

In the last year, and in particular in recent months, massive destruction of
antiquities has taken place within the Temple Mount Compound. Within the
framework of the construction of a new mosque in Solomon's Stables, large
scale excavation took place and a huge pit was dug by tractors. Thousands
of tons of dirt laden with a large number of archeological findings dating
from the First Temple Period and onwards was dumped in the municipal dump
and other locations.

This archaeological crime is unacceptable to any cultured person, without
any connection to political identity or ideological stand and we object to
it just as it is inconceivable that a similar systematic destruction would
take place in a site of similar importance elsewhere in the world such as
the Acropolis in Athens or the Forum in Rome.

We call on the Government of Israel to urgently act to strictly enforce the
Antiquities Law in the Temple Mount Compound and to make all excavation and
construction activity subject to the on-site supervision of the Antiquities
Authority including the carrying out of recovery digs, inspection and
recording of all findings as required in every other site in the State of
Israel

Th Committee for the Prevention of the Destruction of Antiquities on the
Temple Mount 052-288442

[IMRA: Signed by 82 MKs and others including:

MK Naomi Chazzan (Meretz), MK Dalia Rabin-Pelossof, MK Einat Maor (Meretz),
MK Dan Meridor, MK Amnon Rubenstein (Meretz), MK Collete Avital, MK Uzi
Baram, MK Yael Dayan, MK Roni Milo, MK Mossi Raz (Meretz), Teddy Kollek, A.
B Yehoshua, Amos Oz, three Israel Prize for archeology winners, the heads of
the archeology departments and presidents of various Israeli universities
and more.]

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Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director
IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-9-7411645
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
pager 03-6750750 subscriber 4811
Website: http://www.imra.org.il