Palestinians don’t need any reminders about the racist policies aimed at pushing them out of their land nonetheless this move holds very deep irony. The area is currently called Independence Park – as if that wasn’t enough of a slap in the face (you dont need be very creative to read into the symbolism of Israel’s building their independence park over Palestinian graves) the museum is going to be built on the same site.
The “israeli” news paper haaretz reported that The “Israel” Antiquities Authority (IAA) told the High Court of Justice that it was prepared to allow construction of the “Museum of Tolerance” on the site of an ancient Muslim cemetery in Jerusalem’s Mamila area.
Dr. Raphael Greenberg of Tel Aviv University states that the IAA archaeologist excavating the area wrote in his concluding report that there were at least 800 graves still left in the area and that he unequivocably recommended prohibiting construction there.
Greenberg said the graves have rare archaeological value and their destruction would stand in stark opposition to professional archaeological ethics. “It is not the job of the IAA to see to the welfare of entrepreneurs,” wrote Greenberg.
Attorney Durgham Saif of the human rights organization Karameh, which opposes construction of the museum on the cemetery, has asked the High Court to allow Greenberg to conduct an independent probe at the site, since he said the IAA had “misled” the court.
