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Occupied Jerusalem

- Al Jazeera Net monitored excavations carried out by Israeli authorities in the Al Sharaf neighborhood in the occupied city of Jerusalem, targeting historical buildings.

At the same time, Israeli mechanisms are carrying out construction work on the rubble of demolished buildings.

The video, filmed by an Al Jazeera Net correspondent, shows that the excavations are taking place along the wall of Al-Aqsa Mosque and near a Torah school and gates leading to Al-Buraq Square at the western wall of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Excavation work targets ancient buildings in Harat Al-Sharaf (Al-Jazeera)

Jerusalem affairs researcher Arafat Amr told Al Jazeera Net that the occupation municipality and the Israeli Antiquities Authority are supervising the excavations with the participation of settlement associations for the purpose of Judaizing the place, obliterating its Arab and Islamic identity, and replacing it with Jewish landmarks such as schools, synagogues, and biblical institutes.

He added: "The Israeli Antiquities Authority, in the first place, and the Biblical settlement associations that support it, are carrying out continuous, unprecedented excavation work on the abandoned Haret al-Sharaf hill, which is adjacent to the Moroccan Quarter."

Construction work on the ruins of Al Sharaf neighborhood in Jerusalem (Al Jazeera)

He continued that the goal of the excavations is "to Judaize and obliterate historical places and prominent landmarks in their Arab and Islamic authenticity in ancient Jerusalem, and then realize settlement plans in order to build Jewish synagogues, institutes, and Biblical schools on the ruins of this neighborhood."

He pointed out that the Neighborhood of Honor was displaced during the occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967.

This emptied it of its population, which was estimated at about 3,000 people.

Al-Sharaf Neighborhood is located in the southwestern corner of the Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, and was adjacent to the Moroccans’ Neighborhood, which was destroyed during the occupation of the eastern part of Jerusalem in 1967 as well.

Source: Al Jazeera