Archaeologists hold an emergency conference urging suspension of operations near Al-Aqsa Mosque CAIRO: A meeting that brought together leading Arab archaeologists in Cairo ended on Monday, urging Israel to inform Unesco's World Heritage Center of any construction work west of the Wailing Wall. The summit also recommended that the international organization not accept the Jewish state's request to include Jerusalem in its list of world heritage sites as an Israeli site to prevent the Israelis from dominating the cultural status of the old city. The Unesco was also asked to publicize the findings of the fact-finding mission made up of archaeologists who were commissioned to examine the area and recommend a policy to deal with the problem. The summit, attended by top Arab archaeologists, heads of Arab councils of antiquities as well as many Islamic scholars, was held from March 3-5 at the Supreme Council of Antiquities in response to a demand by the Egyptian culture ministry. "Today's meeting aims to discuss all possible ways to save Jerusalem and end the chaos wreaked by the Israelis at these holy sites, stressed Zahi Hawass, head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA). The summit highlighted that once the report on the said Israeli restoration near Al Maghareiba gate is publicized, it will enable decision-makers to halt excavations near the gate and suspend operations to build a synagogue near Al-Aqsa Mosque and plans to build a Jewish Museum referred to as the Tolerance Museum on the site of the Maaman Allah tomb. While urging the international organization to take these steps, participants stressed that the premises of the third holiest site in Islam was part of the Palestinian awqaf (endowments) and not part of any Israeli establishment. They believed that any restorations should be undertaken by the Islamic awqaf so that they would not be a pretext by Israel to implement its aggressive policies against the Arabs and Muslims living in the area. Hawass said: "I've sent two urgent letters last month to both the secretary-general of the United Nations and that of the Unesco demanding the suspension of all operations near Al Maghareiba Gate. "All cultural and archaeological organizations have also been contacted in an attempt to seek assistance to safeguard the Islamic holy sites against Israeli acts of sabotage, he added. Hawass pointed out that Arab archaeologists want the Unesco to monitor all operations near Al-Aqsa. It has also been decided that all archaeological missions operating in the Arab world will be boycotted in case they prove to have any connection with Israel. "We call for a unified Arab stand and coordination with other Islamic nations to halt Israel's membership in the international heritage center. Hawass announced that the SCA plans to boost ties with governmental as well as private heritage organizations in Jerusalem and others located in Palestine in their capacity as the direct defenders of these holy places. "We will also appeal to Catholic and Orthodox churches worldwide to expose the Israeli aggressions against the Christians' holy sites. Early last month the Israeli authorities began to demolish and remove a sand hill that led to Al Maghareiba Gate near Al-Aqsa Mosque. Both the general public and experts were denied access to that gate on the pretext that the hill was unsteady. The hill, which provides the only access path to Al-Aqsa in that area, was for decades the entrance to female pilgrims. It also contains many Islamic artifacts. The Israeli authorities claimed it would demolish it to set up a glass bridge that would link Al-Aqsa with the yard of the Wailing Wall. Jerusalem's archaeological places are listed as endangered sites that should not be subject to random construction operations.
