Video length 28 minutes 15 seconds
Israeli-funded excavations in occupied East Jerusalem have been condemned by international archaeologists.
The Israeli government held its weekly cabinet meeting in tunnels dug under the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied east Jerusalem.
On the surface, a far-right Israeli minister entered the area shortly before the government met and proclaimed the Israelis “Jerusalem landlords.”
This has infuriated Palestinians, who have grown increasingly angry at incursions by ultranationalist Jewish groups into one of Islam’s holiest sites.
Al-Aqsa was also a flash point earlier this year, with Israeli police filmed beating Palestinians praying inside the mosque.
The cabinet meeting once again highlights the controversy sparked by Israeli archeology and excavation beneath the ancient city.
So why is this work so controversial?
Presenter: Nastasya Tay
Guests:
Alon Arad – CEO of Emek Shaveh
Mazin Qumsiyeh – Director of the Palestinian Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability
Rami Khouri – Director of Global Engagement at the American University of Beirut
