Palestinians warn of possible tampering during rehabilitation of Jerusalem’s Old City wall

WAFA – Palestinians warned Tuesday of acts of forgery the Israeli archaeology authority is introducing to the Wall of the Old City of Jerusalem during the rehabilitation of sections of the ancient Wall, particularly at Damascus Gate.

They said that by covering sections of the Wall, where work is underway, could mean that Israel is trying to hide the changes it is doing to the Wall to stress its alleged Jewish history while wiping out any reference to the Islamic period.

They feared that Israel may be removing original stones and replacing them with stones carrying Talmudic drawings and engravings to create impressions of Jewish heritage, as it did in parts of the Wall between Damascus Gate and Herod’s Gate.

Al-Aqsa Institute for Waqf and Heritage said that the Israeli authorities had changed a number of stones and replaced them with Jewish Talmudic drawings such as the six-pointed Star of David and engraving of the Jewish temple.

It said that in parts of Herod’s Gate the Israelis replaced stones with a drawing of the Star of David and removed a historic stone above Herod’s Gate.