2007年VOA标准英语-Israeli Archaeologists Say Muslims Damaged Reli

Ancient artifacts are at the heart of a fresh dispute between Jews and Arabs at a hotly contested holy place in Jerusalem. As Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, the dispute points to the simmering religious tensions behind the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Dome1 of the Rock mosque2 in the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem, 29 Aug. 2007" hspace="2" src="http://www.tingroom.com/upimg/allimg/070907/0955220.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

A Muslim girl walks by the Golden Dome of the Rock mosque in the al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem, 29 Aug. 2007

Israeli archaeologists accuse Islamic authorities of damaging artifacts from Biblical times at the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.  The mosque sits on a plaza³, which Jews call the Temple Mount and Muslims call the Noble Sanctuary⁴. The al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site for Muslims. As the site of the two Biblical temples, the Temple Mount is the holiest place in Judaism. The area is a focal point of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Trouble began when the Wakf, the Islamic Trust that administers the site, brought in a tractor to dig a trench⁵. The Wakf said it was replacing a 40-year-old electrical cable, but Israeli archaeologists were furious.

"In the last week, the Islamic Wakf authorities on the Temple Mount have carried out a barbaric act of excavating⁶ illicitly," said archaeologist Gabi Barkai.

He told a news conference that the digging of the 400-meter long channel has harmed relics⁷ from the time of the Temples. 

"This channel destroyed several layers of ancient remains⁸ upon the Temple Mount," he added.  "The trench encountered also a built wall which could have belonged to the outer courtyards of the Temple itself."

Muslim authorities have denied the allegations, describing them as "sheer propaganda." They say they respect antiquities⁹, and the infrastructure¹⁰ work did not cause any damage.

Palestinian worshipper Ismael Ramadan told VOA that Israel has no right to interfere¹¹ in what happens at a Muslim holy place.

"I grew up and I see [with] my eyes and I see this is [a] mosque. I don't see [a] temple," he said.

Like many Palestinians, he believes the temples never existed.

"It's not true," he said.  "No Temple."

For years, Israeli archaeologists have accused Islamic authorities of systematically¹² destroying Temple artifacts in an attempt to erase¹³ any Jewish connection with the holy place.

But the accusations¹⁴ go both ways.  Earlier this year, an Israeli archeological dig next to the plaza sparked protests by Muslims who feared the al-Aqsa mosque would be damaged.

Israeli authorities said they were salvaging¹⁵ artifacts before construction work on a walkway leading to the plaza.