Israel: Jerusalem's old walls will collapse
Palestine-Israel, Local, 4/3/2001

The Israeli dailies on Monday quoted the directorate of antiquities in warning that the historical walls of the old city of Jerusalem are due to collapse.

The Israeli English daily " Jerusalem post" quoted the chairman of the department in charge of preserving antiquities at the directorate Yakov Shefer that some of the sites in the wall in a real critical condition on the intermediate or long run.

These walls which surround the old city and its holy sites were built between 1536- 1542 A.D by the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman al-Akbar.

Shefer noted: We can not say if these walls will collapse today or later, because we do not have a follow up system on the ground.

He added that a group of experts was formed in his department to make a field investigation about walls, noting that he does not know who will finance this investigation which costs USD 40,000.

He considered: What is the value of USD 40,000 when the matter relates to one of the most important historical antiquities for Israel.

Worthy mentioning that the Old city of Jerusalem, with its narrow alleys is of an area of one square kilometer and it includes the most important holy sites like al-Qeyama church, al-Aqsa Mosque and al-Buraq wall ( the wailing wall).

Sovereignty over the religious sites in old Jerusalem is considered one of the most critical issues in the Arab- Israeli conflict.

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