| Israel Installs Jerusalem Excavations Webcams, Exposes Arab Incitement
By
Joel
Leyden Jerusalem ----- February 15, 2007 .... In an effort to defuse Palestinian and Arab world incitement against Israel relating to excavations in Jerusalem next to Israel's Western Wall, the Israel Antiquities Authority has begun to broadcast live television coverage from the site. In a news release sent to the Israel News Agency, an Israel Antiquities Authority spokeswoman stated that work to install video cameras to enable on-line viewing of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) Mugrabi Gate Reconstruction Project in the Old City of Jerusalem has been completed. The
Jerusalem cameras went on line this afternoon on the IAA
website. The Israel authorities have installed cameras to film all excavation work being carried out near Jerusalem's Temple Mount or Haram Sharif. Daily work at the site will be broadcast from 0630 local time (0430 GMT) to 1430 (1230 GMT), the Israel Antiquities Authority said. The live web camera would remain on outside working hours. Broadcasts will start on Thursday and can be seen at the antiquities authority's website. The Israel website also has a video about the Project with an English explanation by IAA Director of Surveys and Excavations Dr. Gideon Avni and two articles under the heading "The Real Story Behind the Mugrabi Ramp." The Minister responsible for Jerusalem affairs, Yaacov Edery, Israel Antiquities Authority Director-General Shuka Dorfman, Israel Police Inspector-General Moshe Karadi and Israel Police Jerusalem District Commander Ilan Franco briefed ministers on Sunday regarding events on and around the Temple Mount and on Israel’s excavation work on the Mugrabi Gate ramp. Israel Prime Minister Olmert said that work on the Jerusalem Mugrabi Gate bridge - outside the Temple Mount - is necessary because the previous ramp had collapsed and the interim wooden bridge is a safety hazard, as was determined by the Jerusalem city engineer. A new bridge is necessary for the welfare of visitors and tourists. The bridge will also be at the disposal of the security forces in order - for example - to prevent stones from being hurled at the Western Wall plaza. The Prime Minister also said that proper staff work - involving the Jerusalem municipality, the Antiquities Authority, the Israel Police, the Public Security Ministry, the Mossad, the ISA and Minister Edery’s office - had been carried out over several months. Israel Ministers and other relevant officials discussed the issue in 25 January 2007 and gave final approval to the plan to build a bridge up to the Mugrabi Gate. The Prime Minister
said: “I have heard claims regarding the professional activity of the Antiquities
Authority. I vigorously reject them. Professional archaeological work was done
here. During the staff work, the relevant Jerusalem municipality official issued
a permit for the construction of the bridge. Israel Prime Minister Olmert made it clear that in any case, and in accordance with any planning procedure, Antiquities Authority excavations are necessary according to the Antiquities Authority Law. These excavations will continue. “I have instructed all elements involved to work with complete transparency and to show anyone who is interested there is an essential need to build a new bridge. Anyone who goes there sees this for himself. There is no activity that is designed to dig under the Temple Mount. This is activity that is taking place outside the Temple Mount wall only.” International officials, including very senior officials in the US and other countries, were updated during the planning stage. Islamic extremist elements are seeking to incite and inflame even though they know for a certainty that there is no activity designed to harm the Temple Mount. Israel guards, and has always guarded, the holy places of all faiths, including Islam, and will assure freedom of worship. It is intolerable that domestic Islamic extremist elements are trying to fan the flames in a wholly unjustified manner. The Israel Cabinet decided: to continue with the planned construction of the Mugrabi Gate ramp in a way that allows completion in the least possible time. To the extent that a municipal building plan will be required - one will be brought for approval as quickly as possible. The Israel Foreign Ministry will continue to deal with the international aspects, including in regard with UNESCO. Continuation of coordination with international bodies, while maintaining full transparency of events at the site. The ISA and the Israel Police will continue operational and intelligence preparedness. E. Minister Yaacov Edery will be responsible for this issue. The new ramp in Jerusalem will replace the temporary wooden bridge which was built near the Western Wall following the collapse of the old Mugrabi ramp. The new ramp will replace the temporary wooden bridge which was built following the collapse of the old Mugrabi ramp. A spokesman for the Islamic religious trust which operates the Haram al-Sharif said the new measures were just cosmetic action and that instead of putting up cameras, the digging should stop. The Haram al-Sharif is believed to be where the Islamic Prophet Muhammad made an ascent to heaven into the presence of God. Jews believe the Temple Mount is where Abraham offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice to God and where Solomon built the First Jewish Temple. The Jerusalem police filed an indictment against Sheikh Ra'ad Salah, the head of the Islamic Movement's northern branch, and four of his supporters on charges of incitement and attacking police officers during an illegal protest last week against the excavations near the Temple Mount. The indictment, which was filed at the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court, states that Salah instructed the protesters to sit on the ground and refuse to be evacuated. Salah is accused of attacking a policeman. Israel reunited its ancient capital of Jerusalem in the 1967 war. Since then, the compound has remained under Muslim jurisdiction in conjunction with neighboring Jordan. Turkey Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said today that Turkey would send a team of experts to Jerusalem to survey archaeological work near the al-Aqsa mosque which has triggered protests across the Muslim world. Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, speaking at the same news conference during a visit to Ankara, said he welcomed the decision, saying: "We have nothing to hide. The work which is being conducted is being done outside the Temple Mount area. We are very happy to host the prime minister's team and therefore the right and correct and exact story will come out," Olmert said. Olmert
showed Erdogan photographs of the area. 'As a modern Muslim country Turkey can play a role building ties between Israel and Muslim countries that do not have relations with Israel,' Olmert said. Olmert also reaffirmed his offer of peace to Syria as long as Damascus stopped supporting terror groups. 'We want to make peace with Syria, we are happy to make peace with Syria, but Syria has not stopped supporting the path of terror and instead needs to accept the principles that the international community has set,' Olmert said. 'I have no doubt that under such conditions it will be very easy to speak with Syria.' Ankara has offered to mediate in fresh talks between Syria and Israel and the issue was again discussed on Thursday. Talks between Israel and Syria over the Golan Heights, which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war, collapsed in 2000 after Damascus insisted on regaining control of all the strategic piece of land. Syria President Bashar al-Assad has repeatedly signaled an interest in talks since Israel's inconclusive war last year in Lebanon with Syria - backed Hezbollah terrorists. The situation has been complicated by U.S. charges that Syria supports Iraqi insurgents, which Damascus denies, as well as Syria's open sponsorship of Palestine terrorists. "The prime minister's determination in the Mugrabi Gate affair is a positive surprise for me," said Uzi Landau, a former Israel minister of Internal Security. "Only if he continues along this route of not caving in to threats and terror, there's a chance we'll live here in peace. The Jerusalem mayor's decision to reexamine the matter will only lead to deterioration. The Israel government in its entirety must stop apologizing and ensure that both the letter and spirit of the law are being followed, and never ever capitulate in the face of threats backed by the culture of terror. Only one possibility is worse than violence – capitulation in the face of violence." Israel with the use of live Internet Webcams is clearly illustrating to the world that no harm would come to the mosque or the Dome of the Rock that stand on the site of two destroyed biblical Jewish Temples. "The Antiquities Authority invites the public in the country and in the world to monitor the excavations up close and to see what is being done on the ground at any given time," the group's spokeswoman, Osnat Goaz, said in a statement.
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