Ramallah: Al Aqsa Foundation of Waqf and Heritage has categorically rejected Israeli claims that rare golden “Jewish treasures” have been found a few metres away from Al Aqsa holy compound in occupied East Jerusalem.
The foundation has labelled the Israeli announcement about the findings from the excavation as an attempt to support Israeli claims about Jewish rights in the holy city and to impose Israeli sovereignty on the occupied holy compound through the use of fake evidence.
Israeli media highlighted the alleged discovery, which includes two bundles containing 36 gold coins from the Byzantine era, gold and silver jewellery and a gold medallion with a Jewish menorah (Temple candelabrum). The artefacts were uncovered during Hebrew University excavations at the foot of Al Aqsa Holy Compound, which Jews refer to as Temple Mount.
In an official statement the foundation rejected the support the Israeli government under Benjamin Netanyahu provides to “fake evidence” in an effort to dismiss the Arab and Islamic nature of the holy city.
“An immediate Arab and Muslim campaign is needed to stop the Israeli attempts to Judaise the holy city of Jerusalem,” said the statement.
Furthermore, the statement alleged that Israeli institutions have been exerting massive efforts to provide fake evidence to prove a Jewish right to Jerusalem. “This is unachievable as the excavations and findings of Israeli institutions in the holy city are not objective,” said the statement.
The statement said that those who conduct the excavations are “enthusiastic servants of Zionist ideology and their findings can not be trusted”. “Many of those who conduct excavations on the boundaries of Al Aqsa Holy Compound have been involved in major operations to fake history, and those excavators have been taking advantage of the excavations and findings to prove their Torah theories and claims,” the statement said.
The Israeli media reported that the discovery was made in a ruined Byzantine public structure, a mere 50 metres from Al Aqsa Holy Compound’s Southern Wall.
The discovery was made by archaeologist Dr Eilat Mazar from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
