TEMPLE MOUNT WATCH:

Mugrabi excavations delayed due to appeal by Arab minister
By Akiva Eldar, Haaretz Correspondent

The decision to renew excavations at the Mugrabi Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem was postponed on Sunday after Sports, Science and Culture Minister Ghaleb Majadele appealed a ministerial committee vote and requested that debate on the matter be brought before the cabinet plenum.

Government regulations stipulate that when a decision is appealed by a minister, it is delayed pending further government discussion.

In a letter to Cabinet Secretary Oved Yehezkel, the Israeli Arab minister warned that the committee's decision to renew the excavations could spark riots and exacerbate tensions with neighboring countries ahead of next month's planned Annapolis peace summit.

Majadele asked that the appropriate authorities involved, namely the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) and UNESCO, be given a chance to express their opinions on the matter before a final decision is made.

The excavations - which are to prepare for the construction of a new bridge to the Mugrabi Gate, between the Western Wall and the Temple Mount - were stopped in June after they sparked protests from the Palestinian Authority and Arab countries. However, the Ministerial Committee on Jerusalem approved their renewal about two weeks ago and digging was set to begin in the coming days.

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Some background is here.

UPDATE:

Israel to Resume Dig Near Temple Mount

By MATTI FRIEDMAN – 15 hours ago

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel will resume archaeological excavations near a Jerusalem holy site that has often been a flashpoint for violence, Israeli officials said Sunday. The decision drew Palestinian charges that Israel is trying to scuttle next month's U.S.-sponsored peace conference.

Fearing an outbreak of violence, an Israeli Cabinet minister said he stalled construction for at least two weeks. But officials said they remained determined to push forward with the project.

The dig is located outside the Old City compound known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, and is home to the gold-capped Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque.

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