Temple Mount

The Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif – Archaeology in a Political Context

Who controls the temple mount? Introduction Immediately after the 1967 War, Israel’s then Defense Minister Moshe Dayan declared that the Islamic Waqf would retain their authority over the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif...

Survery shows Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem experience the archaeological activities as a tool to undermine Jerusalem’s national and religious identity

July, 2016   Survey shows Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem experience the archaeological activities as a tool to undermine Jerusalem’s national and religious identity   Issues of identity, religion and...

Press release: Emek Shaveh’s response to UNESCO’s Executive Board’s decision on Palestine (Executive Board 199th session)

In response to UNESCO’s Executive Board’s decision on Palestine from last week (Executive Board 199th session on Occupied Palestine) we would like to say the following: We regret that in...

Selectively Sacred: Holy Sites in Jerusalem and its Environs

Introduction In this document, we examine how the Israeli government authorities and legal system address the issue of holy places. The government, legal and judicial authorities in Israel attempt to...

Press release: Emek Shaveh Demands from Attorney General that Establishment of the new Western Wall Plaza Take Place through the Planning Committees and with Public Involvement

February 2, 2016 The government of Israel’s decision to extend the prayer area at the Western Wall into the archaeological area in order to create a separate Reform and Conservative...

Update – Kedem Center in Silwan and Davidson Center at the foot of the Temple Mount / Al-Aqsa Compound

 Important Israeli court and building committee decisions were recently delivered regarding efforts by right-wing organization Elad (An Israeli organization promoting Jewish settlement in Silwan that uses archaeology to strengthen Israeli...

Update: The State Attorney requests permission to petition the High Court of Justice against letting the Elad Foundation take over the management of the ‘Davidson Center’

In October, the Jerusalem District Court approved an agreement to transfer the management of the Davidson Center Archaeological Park to the Elad Foundation. The State’s decision to appeal to the...

Update: new developments in the antiquity sites in Silwan, the area surrounding the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif and in Hebron

In the past few weeks right wing settler NGOs have taken over new areas in Silwan/City of David, at the Davidson Center adjacent to the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif, and in...

Update: The Nature and Parks Authority has resumed fencing the Muslim cemetery Bab el-Rahmeh, east of Temple Mount

This morning (Wednesday, September 2) inspectors of the INPA (Nature and Parks Authority), accompanied by security personnel, continue fencing the cemetery Bab al-Rahmeh, adjacent to the Temple Mount / Haram...