Expansion of the Israeli National Park on the Mount of Olives
The holy sites of Christian Jerusalem are under the grip of the settler Elad
The Mount of Olives abounds with historical Christian holy sites.
Emirates today
The plan expands towards the Christian holy sites on the Mount of Olives.
Emirates today
The gardens of the historic churches of the Mount of Olives are under threat of seizure.
Emirates today
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The Israeli occupation does not differentiate between a Muslim and a Christian in its aggressive practices against the entire Palestinian people, and this is directly reflected in the targeting of Christian religious sanctities. For a plan to seize property of the Eastern Christian churches on the Mount of Olives, east of the Holy City.
This plan comes in the interest of expanding the “national park” around the walls of the Holy City, a large part of which is controlled by the Elad settlement association, and is active in the seizure of Palestinian homes and property in the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif.
The plan to seize religious property and Christian churches includes expanding the borders of the Walls of Jerusalem National Park by about (275) dunums, to include large parts of the Mount of Olives, and additional parts of the Kidron Valley and Hinnom Valley, and wrap around the perimeter of the Old City in the Holy City to the east. And west and south.
The Mount of Olives is one of the most famous and most important mountains in the Holy City of Jerusalem, because of its sacred place, and it sits on the throne of historical religious sites in the Palestinian territories. On the lands of the mountain are the major Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, including the Gethsemane Church and Mary Magdalene Church.
high risk
Given its high danger and its infringement on freedom of religion, four Israeli human rights organizations, namely “Bimkom”, “Emek Shaveh”, “Ir Amim” and “Peace Now”, said in response to the plan of the Nature and Parks Authority and the settlement “Elad” that “ The gradual seizure by Jewish families of homes in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan, north and south of the Old City, and the expansion of (Jerusalem Walls National Park), to include the Mount of Olives, will enable Elad Association to surround the Old City with settlement outposts, along with Jewish housing, archaeological and environmental projects, which will ignite the area And it plunges it into a religious war with ominous consequences.”
In response to this, "Emirates Today" met with the head of the Christian National Assembly in the Holy Land, Dimitri Diliani, who shows that the scheme targeting church property at the western slope of the Mount of Olives towards the Old City dates back to the seventies of the last century, when the occupation decided to control the property. Surrounding the Old City of Jerusalem, through the “Jerusalem Walls National Park” project, for Israel to control many Islamic and Christian properties and properties, including the Islamic Gate of the Lions Cemetery and the Christian Cemetery of Mount Zion.
Diliani continues, saying, “After the arrival of the current Israeli government, the so-called Nature and Parks Protection Authority of the Ministry of Environmental Protection in the Hebrew state developed a plan to expand the (Jerusalem National Park) to the east, to include Christian holy places, pilgrims’ shrines, and the surrounding monasteries, churches and orchards. Historic part of a plan that bore No. (101067478).”
He added, “Among the most prominent Christian sanctities included in the Israeli government’s decision is the Church (Satna Mary), which is the last resting place for the mother of Jesus Christ, peace be upon him, and the Gethsemane Church, also called the Church of All Nations, which was attacked by the occupation army more than once. The last of them was two years ago, which is the place where Jesus met his disciples on the night of his arrest by the Romans, next to the Church (Mary Magdalene), which was built by Emperor (Alexander III) Tsar of Russia in 1888, and is located in the middle of the Garden of Gethsemane.
protest letter
The plan to target Christian religious sanctuaries aroused great concern among the heads of churches in Jerusalem. Israeli Environmental Protection "Tamar Zandberg".
Several copies of this letter explaining the dangers of the Nature Protection Authority’s scheme on the authentic Christian presence in the city of Jerusalem were also sent to the ambassadors of Western countries to the occupying country, including the ambassadors of France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Belgium. Church leaders also communicated with 40 members of Congress. The American was on a visit to the occupying country as part of the program to meet the Israeli Prime Minister, according to Diliani.
The head of the Christian National Assembly in the Holy Land says, “Not more than 72 hours have passed since this protest, until the Ministry of Environmental Protection and its Nature Protection Authority froze this expansion plan at the expense of churches and Christians, as the Israel Nature and Parks Authority was to present its plan to the public. (Local Planning and Building Committee) in the occupation municipality in the Holy City, to obtain initial approval on the second of March.
Diliani goes on to say, "The freezing of the decision to control the sanctuaries and churches on the Mount of Olives does not mean that the Israeli extreme right will not return to it again, when the political conditions are favorable."
He points out that the Ministry of Environmental Protection's withdrawal of this project does not mean the end of targeting Christians or Muslims and their real estate and sanctities in the city of Jerusalem. After millions of dollars were spent in legal battles to protect Christian religious sanctities.”
• Gradually seizing homes in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan, and expanding the Walls of Jerusalem National Park, will enable the Elad Association to encircle the Old City with settlement outposts.
• The plan to seize religious properties and Christian churches includes expanding the borders of the Walls of Jerusalem National Park by about (275) dunums, to include large parts of the Mount of Olives, and additional parts of the Kidron Valley and Hinnom Valley, and wrap around the perimeter of the Old City in the Holy City. east, west and south.
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