Update ‘From Shiloah to Silwan group’. To view website click here
On Wednesday, the 18th of June at 11 a.m., there will be a hearing in the Supreme Court in Jerusalem regarding the archaeological excavations under the houses of the Silwan village in East Jerusalem. Your presence is important!
The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) financed by Elad organization is excavating a tunnel under the houses of Silwan residents, without informing them about it and ignoring their property rights.
The residents of Silwan filed a petition to the Supreme Court concerning the illegality of this excavation; demanding that the IAA will halt the excavation under their homes until a better solution will be found based on an agreement with the residents.
Silwan residents would appreciate if you could attend the hearing as a demonstration of support in their plight and in demand that the court instructs the state and its institutions (IAA and National Parks Reservation Authority) to cease their slanted use of archaeology as a political tool, and will mark a begging to an end of the existing cooperation of the state with ELAD’s expansionist agenda.
Supreme Court address: Sha’arey Mishpat Street, Kiryat Ben-Guryon, Jerusalem
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International petition signed by academics:
In recent weeks, university professors and lecturers from all over the world have been signing a petition aiming to stop using archaeology against the residents of Silwan. Since our last update, many scholars have added their signature. The petition calls to prevent the ELAD organization from running the National Park “City of David” and from using archaeology for their political needs. It is still possible to sign the petition. You can find it at our website: http://www.alt-arch.org/petition.html
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New Media Information:
Islamic-era skeletons ‘disappeared’ from Elad-sponsored dig:
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/988803.html
For more media: http://www.alt-arch.org/articles.html
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Invitation of Mr.Shlomo Gronich to a tour:
On June 2nd, Shlomo Gronich, a prominent Israeli music artist, performed in the “City of David” as part of the Erwin Moskovic award ceremony and the Jerusalem Day. Our group, “From Shiloah to Silwan”, has decided to send an open letter to Mr. Gronich and invite him to participate in our alternative tour in “the City of David” and Silwan village.
If you wish to add your signature to this open letter, please reply to this email with your name.
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An open letter to Mr. Shlomo Gronich
Dear Mr. Gronich,
We write you in regard to your performance on June 2nd during the Erwin Moskovic award ceremony and the Jerusalem Day in the “City of David”, an area managed by the settlers association Elad. It was published that in response to Gush Shalom’s condemnation of your decision, you replied that “This is a shock to me. I know that I’m performing in a ceremony and hear for the first time that this event is associated with one side of the political map…”
We, hundreds of civilians who are not affiliated with any political body, have participated in the weekly archaeological tour “From Shiloah to Silwan” in the “City of David”. In the tour you can learn about the problematic aspects of the archaeological research that Elad is sponsoring, and the ramifications of Elad’s presence on the lives of the local residents in Silwan. We heartily recommend you to follow this tour in order to learn more about the forces that operate behind the scenes in one of the most sensitive and disputed places in Jerusalem.
For more information and registration, please see: http://www.alt-arch.org
Sincerely,
From Shiloah to Silwan group