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Israel's longstanding quest to Judaize the city of Jerusalem

Plan of "Tifirit Israel" (or Gem of Jerusalem) - Beit Haliba

By: Doaa El Shereef

Researcher Specializing in Israeli Affairs
_____________________________________________________________________

‫ שאותו כבר‬,''‫ בקרבתו נמצא ''בית שטראוס‬.‫זהו המיקום של בית הליבה ביחס לרחבה כולה‬
‫ שמופקדת על הכותל ומנהרותיו‬,‫מרחיבה הקרן‬

The location of Beit Haliba near the Western Wall area and "Beit Strauss"
which is being expanded by the "Western Wall Heritage Fund"

For so long, over the years of the Israeli occupation to the Palestinian territories
including East Jerusalem, Israel has been working to change the status quo of Al Aqsa
Mosque and its surroundings in Jerusalem city; which severely affected the overall
situation in the city. The ongoing Israeli settlement activities in Jerusalem and
undermining the historical, cultural, and geographical landmarks in the city are
intended by Israel.

Israel has been systematically working to change the status quo in Al-Aqsa Mosque in
the occupied city of Jerusalem in 1967. Given the current security situation in the
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occupied West Bank, and more specifically in the city of Jerusalem, Israel is stepping
up construction in Israeli settlement in the occupied East Jerusalem, with a special
focus on the Old City of Jerusalem and its surroundings. The plan of Beit Haliba is
yet the latest example of Israel’s plans in occupied Jerusalem city, targeting its
religious and historical landmarks. It is an initiative that was deposited back in 2012
by the so called “Western Wall Heritage Fund", an organization that promotes
colonial building in the heart of Jerusalem city and runs under the jurisdiction of the
Israeli Prime Minister’s office, Benyamin Netanyahu.

The official website of the "Western Wall Heritage Fund"

) ‫(הקרן למורשת הכותל המערבי‬

The fund was founded in 1988, and runs under the jurisdiction of the Israeli Prime
Minister’s office, they are all occupying arms intertwined to implement the
Judaization and settlement plans.

The implementation of the plan is preceded and coincided with excavations in the
floors and walls of Islamic historical buildings.
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In 2015, the project of "Beit Haliba", the largest settlement project in Buraq Square
was approved. This was prompted by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The "Planning and Construction Committee" of the Municipality of Jerusalem
approved the Judaization project "Beit Haliba", scheduled to be established nearly a
hundred meters west of Al-Aqsa Mosque, with some minor changes, on an area of
about 1.84 dunams, and a building area of almost (2825 m2) on three stories, one
underground, and two above, including showrooms, classrooms and auditorium
intended to teach visitors about the history of the so called “Western Wall”, operating
rooms, a museum, and archaeological exhibits, all adopting Talmudic narratives.

The building is next to "Beit Strauss" 50 meters from the western wall of Al-Aqsa
Mosque, and adjacent to the left of the Tankaziya School in the northern facade of the
Buraq Square. This planned building comprises a yeshiva, a synagogue, an advanced
police operations center, and showrooms for the "legacy of the wall", a large
reception with a wide courtyard, and several broad entrances for the visitors of the
western tunnel, a visitor's center, dozens of public baths, and operation and
maintenance rooms.

The plan of "Beit Strauss" as published in Maariv

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The Israeli newspaper "Maariv" reported that the plan aims at carrying out expansion,
renovation, and changing operations of an existing three-storey building, originally
located in the famous Moroccan neighborhood. It is an Islamic historic government
building and endowment real estate from the Islamic era and the Mamluk, Ayyubid,
and Ottoman eras. It was seized by Israel after the occupation in 1967 and named
"Beit Strauss", and was used as a main entrance to the tunnel of the western wall and
the so called "Visitor's Center - Generations Center", and offices of Judaization
institutions such as the "Western Wall Heritage Fund".

The occupation is currently planning to carry out a massive expansion of the existing
building, as well as adding a two-storey building, and build an additional storey above
the third storey, to be a four-storey building, in addition to restorations changes, and
expansion in the existing building, at a cost of $ 20 million. This project is
implemented by the so-called "company for the development of the Jewish Quarter in
the old City", and the so-called "Western Wall Heritage Fund", a state-owned
company that runs under the jurisdiction of the Israeli Prime Minister’s office, they
are all occupying arms intertwined to implement the Judaization and settlement plans.

The implementation of the plan is preceded and coincided with excavations in the
floors and walls of Islamic historical buildings, which will lead to the destruction and
obliteration of Islamic landmarks in the site.

Several websites of Hebrew newspapers and websites interested in archaeology

published the details of this plan. "Yediot Aharonot" published that the plan was
approved under the headline "Approving the Beit Haliba plan for the benefit of the
"Western Wall Heritage Fund" (‫)אושרה תוכנית בית הליבה של הקרן למורשת הכותל‬
published on 1/12/2015.
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The Israeli newspaper "Yediot Aharonot" on 1/12/2015, under the headline

‫אושרה תוכנית בית הליבה של הקרן למורשת הכותל‬

The newspaper confirmed the existence of a secret plan to establish a building near
Al-Aqsa Mosque, and on 20% of the Western Wall Plaza in the heart of the Old City
in Jerusalem. The newspaper called the building "the fortress" in the Buraq Square.

The newspaper said that the building named "the Gem" planned by the "Western Wall
Heritage Fund" will obliterate the houses in the Old City. The newspaper pointed out
that the association, which is very powerful and supervised by the Prime Minister, has
managed over the years to control many buildings in the Old City, and that the
mentioned building is part of several projects under construction in the Old City.

"Yediot Aharonot" noted that in the last decade, the issue of establishing the building
was raised, but the construction project was halted due to lack of permits. In the last
six months, it was decided to reduce the area of the planned building in order to be
approved by the Planning and Construction Committee in Jerusalem, which
demanded to offer two proposals to reduce the building's area before approval. Two
months ago, the association submitted the required proposals but it insists on the
original design, although the smaller one has an area of 1505 m2.

The newspaper pointed out that it was possible to submit objections to the plan until
last week, but this was not announced, and the plan is on its way for final approval.

The newspaper said that the senior archaeologists in Israel oppose the plan, and cited
the professor Yoram Tsafrir as saying:
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"When you face a very big power which feels that it owns the Western Wall, so
this is a problem. We gave up in front of this reality".

The website "Xnet" published a detailed report revealing Israel's intention to build a
yeshiva to the west of Al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied city of Jerusalem. The
compound, according to the plan, will include the building of a three-storey
facility with classrooms and auditorium intended to teach visitors about the history of
the so called “Western Wall”; this is in addition to a library, a learning center and a
guide room. On top of the building, there will be an observation floor that will be
accessible by Israelis from the Jewish Quarter in the old city of Jerusalem for
sightseeing. The report was entitled:

''‫רחבת הכותל עדיין בידינו? התוכניות המלאות של ''בית הליבה‬

‫נחשפות‬

"Is the Western Wall Plaza still in our hands? Revealing the full plan of Beit
Haliba"
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‫ ממש מול הכותל ייבנה ''בית הליבה'' של הקרן למורשת‬.‫ אתמול‬,‫רחבת הכותל המערבי בירושלים‬
‫ וגג‬,‫ מטר כל אחת‬4.70 ‫ שתי קומות בגובה‬.‫הכותל המערבי‬

The Western Wall Plaza in Jerusalem. On the right of the wall, the "Western
Wall Heritage Fund" will establish the two-storey building of Beit Haliba, the
height of each storey is 4.70 meters with a roof

‫ כאשר נכנסים‬,‫מזרח‬-‫ מבט על בית הליבה מדרום‬:‫כך נראות ההדמיות שאנו חושפים לראשונה‬
‫לרחבת הכותל מהחניון‬

The model introduced for the first time viewing Beit Haliba from the south-east
when we enter the Western Wall Plaza from the parking lot
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‫ בתוכנית נכתב כי‬.‫ אם מפנים לכותל את הגב ופונים מערבה‬,‫וכך זה ייראה מכיוון הכותל עצמו‬
‫ אך מבחן בשטח מול התוכניות מגלה אחרת‬,‫הבניין לא יסתיר את נוף הרובע היהודי‬

This is the view if you turn your back to the wall and turn to the west. The
building will not hide the view of the Jewish Quarter

‫ מציינת כי קהלי היעד‬,‫ שמעסיקה מאות עובדים לפי המסמכים שהגישה לאישור הבניין‬,‫הקרן‬
‫ סטודנטים‬,‫ חיילים בהשבעות וסמינרים‬,‫ תלמידי בית ספר‬,‫המרכזיים שלו הם ''משפחות בר מצווה‬
''‫ ואח''מים רשמיים של מדינת ישראל‬,‫ תיירים ישראלים וזרים בקבוצות ובבודדים‬,‫בסמינרים‬

The fund, which employed hundreds of workers according to documents

submitted to acquire permits, points out that the targeted categories are Jewish
families, school students and their seminars, soldiers, Israeli and foreign tourists
whether groups or individuals, and important figures in Israel
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The building is comprised of three stories, one underground, and two above,
including showrooms, classrooms, auditorium, and museum, adopting Talmudic
narratives

On November 30, 2015, the Jerusalem District Planning and Construction Committee
was expected to approve the construction of Beit Haliba compound. It was only on
December the 2nd, that the Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, revealed that the Jerusalem
District gave its final approval of Beit Haliba plan on the condition that the plan to
undergo some modifications including reducing the area slated for the construction of
the compound, in an attempt to preserve some antiquities Israel claims to have
discovered recently in the area. Under the approved plan, the area of the Beit Haliba
compound is going to occupy 1.5 dunams of land, out of approximately 4,8 dunams
that were slated for the original plan.
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Haaretz, revealed that the Jerusalem District gave its final approval of Beit
Haliba plan
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The "Al-Aqsa Foundation for Endowment and Heritage" " said in a statement
published on 25/6/2012:

"The Israeli occupation demolished and destroyed archaeological layers of

ancient historic buildings since the Umayyad and Abbasid periods and until the
Ottoman era, including a mosque and the building of Al-Afdalyia School dating
back to the Ayyubid state. Al-Aqsa Foundation stated that the so-called "Israeli
Antiquities Authority" carried out systemic operations of demolition and
obliteration of Islamic antiquities over five years, during excavations carried out
in the far west of the area of the Buraq Square, 100 km away from Al-Aqsa
Mosque, located within the boundaries of the Moroccan Quarter, demolished by
the Israeli occupation on 11/6/1967, thus, turning the whole quarter to the so-
called "Wailing Wall Plaza". Al-Aqsa foundation pointed out that it paid several
field visits to the excavations site, and read documents, studies, and photos which
confirm what was carried out by the occupation arms." The foundation said that
"the occupation is destroying the Islamic historic antiquities and buildings while
claiming to discover ancient Jewish antiquities dating to the period of the alleged
First and Second Temple, where the occupation is planning to build a five-storey
large Judaization center, some of them are underground in the mentioned site
under the name of "the Western legacy building - Beit Haliba".

Emek Shaveh ‫עמק שווה‬, an organization of archaeologists and community activists

focusing on the role of archaeology in Israeli society, submitted an objection to the
construction of ‘Beit Haliba’ at the Western Wall which stated:
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The objection to the construction of "Beit Haliba" submitted by Emek Shaveh

"The building will harm the unique antiquities uncovered at the site, the historic
character of the Old City, and in the public space of the plaza. Beit Haliba is
among a handful of projects promoted by the Western Wall Heritage
Foundation and settler organizations. It is part of the political struggle of right-
wing groups over the Old City of Jerusalem. These include Elad foundation’s
plan to build the Kedem Center in Silwan, the Western Wall Heritage
Foundation’s plans for the Mughrabi Gate and Beit Strauss in the Western Wall
plaza, and the underground tunnels excavations. All of these are intended to
create a new landscape around the Temple Mount / Haram al-Sharif,
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representing a nationalist vision to strengthen Israeli control of the area while

damaging the access of other nations and religions."

Emek Shaveh ‫ עמק שווה‬said that the following are the main objections:

1. Construction was approved before the start of excavation. The Director of the
Israel Antiquities Authority admits and says : “… it was the first time in the history of
the Antiquities Authority agreed to start working before having an approved plan …”
Despite acknowledging the archaeological site’s importance, the IAA approved the
construction. In the current situation, the plan must be postponed and an independent
professional survey should determine how to preserve the finds.

2. Construction on the site contradicts the conservation plan of the IAA and
UNESCO. The chapter on archeology for the “Jerusalem 2000″ zoning plan
determined that the open spaces are an integral part of the city’s built heritage. The
Old City and Western Wall plaza were defined as areas deserving special protection,
whose preservation must be done in a way that is “visible to the public” in situ, while
maintaining their relationship with the environment: “A buffer zone around the site
must be maintained, not allowing unnecessarily construction within the site… and
avoiding building that conceals the site from the public or makes access to it
difficult.”

3. An educational center does not require a three-tier structure – educational

activities can be carried out outdoors or under a light roof, as was done in ancient sites
and national parks throughout the country.

4. The IAA has the right to reduce the construction area in accordance with
archaeological finds, according to – Town Planning Scheme 11053. Despite the finds
unearthed, the IAA did not require to change the plan despite the importance of the
antiquities.

5. Damage to the character of ancient Jerusalem should be avoided– caution

should be exercised regarding the development, construction and excavation in the
World Heritage Site. To this effect, UNESCO has passed resolutions on the Old City
and Beit Haliba (UNESCO resolutions 2013 – 37COM7A.26, 2014 – 38COM7A.4,
39 2015-COM 7A.27, and Annex VII attached).

The Beit Haliba plan is one among many plans being promoted in the city of
Jerusalem. On the 2nd of November 2015, the Haaretz newspaper revealed that the
Ateret Cohanim Jewish organization, one that promotes settlement building and
taking over Palestinian homes in occupied East Jerusalem, is cooperating with the
Israeli Government to establish a new neighborhood in the city of Silwan, south of
Al-Aqsa Mosque.
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In June 2015, the Jerusalem Municipality gave its final approval to the Israeli Tourist
settlement plan, “Kedem Center” presented by El Ad foundation in 2012. The plan
targets a land belonging to Wadi Hilweh neighborhood in Silwan city south of Al
Aqsa Mosque, on remnants of the locally known site “Giv’ati Park”. The plan holds
TPS No. 13392 and will occupy 16.6 dunams of Palestinian land.