TEMPLE MOUNT WATCH:
Jerusalem city hall orders halt to illegal Waqf construction on Temple Mount. Injunction issued after authorities determine project for extra restrooms at complex does not have proper permits (Times of Israel).
The Jerusalem Municipality on Tuesday ordered a halt to illegal construction taking place outside of the fence surrounding Jerusalem’s flashpoint Temple Mount holy site.
The administrative order was issued after authorities determined the construction of additional restrooms at the complex has begun without the proper permits, a municipality statement said.
According to reports, the project was initiated by the Muslim Waqf — the Jordanian trust that administers the site — to accommodate the tens of thousands of Muslim worshipers expected to visit the compound during the upcoming Ramadan holiday.
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This injunction seems to be in response to the IAA's lawsuit expressing concern that the construction could damage antiquities:
The Antonia Fortress, which is believed to date from at least 31 BCE, sits atop the Western Wall tunnels sparking fears that sewage from the restroom will seep into the structures below, the report said.
The suit also includes IAA opposition to a Waqf plan to break through one of the walls on the Temple Mount itself.
No construction of any kind on the Temple Mount please. Background to this story is
here.
