Muslim prayer room found near Mugrabi Gate

[Scurrilous]

Authorities kept quiet about ancient prayer room found near Mugrabi Gate three years ago

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3366426,00.html

<snip>

"Remains of an ancient Muslim prayer room were found under the dirt embankment adjacent to the Mugrabi Gate in 2004, yet the findings, unearthed after part of the embankment collapsed into the Western Wall compound, were kept secret until now.

The information was withheld from the public but had been known to various Israeli officials. The findings were revealed in an article posted on the Israel Antiquities Authority's internet site by archaeologist Yuval Baruch, who works in the Jerusalem district.

In an article entitled "The real story," Baruch revealed that when the embankment collapsed near the Mugrabi Bridge, a small room with a roofed alcove and a dome was unearthed - a type of Muslim prayer alcove facing south. Some have suggested that these are the remains of a prayer room which was originally part of a school for Muslim studies which operated adjacent to the Mugrabi Gate.

The remains apparently date back to the 11th century, the Salah al-Din era known as the Ayub Period and which is of great significance to the Muslim world. This important finding was kept secret in fear that the Muslim community would demand that the site, adjacent to the Western Wall compound, be declared sacred.

One of the Muslim arguments regarding the works taking place near the Mugrabi Bridge is that the destruction of the embankment would damage Muslim sites. The findings published by the Antiquities Authority are likely to support this argument."

[LiberalVoice]

1. Lovely. nt

[jobycom]

2. "Those who control the past control the future. Those who control the present

control the past."

[breakaleg]

3. Well, well, well... so much for Israel being the best protector of religious sites in Israel.

[pelsar]

4. its better to have more collapse.... i guess

unearthed after part of the embankment collapsed into the Western Wall compound

[Scurrilous]

5. Muslim concerns about Jerusalem dig justified: Rice

<snip>

"US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Muslim concerns about Israeli renovations near a revered Jerusalem mosque are justified, in an interview published Monday.

"There are some safety concerns, but there are also some very justified concerns about not crossing certain lines with the excavation," the US top diplomat was quoted as telling al-Ayyam newspaper.

She called on the Israeli authorities to consult all concerned parties before going forward with the building work to a ramp leading to the al-Aqsa mosque compound, islam's third holiest site.

Israel says the work is necessary to repair damage to the ramp caused by an earthquake and inclement weather.

"We have expressed our concerns to Israel about that and I think that there has been some understanding that this needs to be a process that is agreed among all relevant parties," Rice said."

http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=355309&sid=WOR