Israeli Excavations Lead To A Collapse Near The Al Aqsa Mosque

Monday January 18, 2010 13:01 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

The ongoing illegal Israeli excavations near and under the Al Aqsa Mosque and its surrounding areas, in occupied East Jerusalem, caused on Monday at dawn a collapse in the center of Wad Hilwa Street, in Silwan, south of the Al Aqsa Mosque.

Maan Images

Jawad Siyam, head of the Wad Hilwa Information Center, told the Maan News Agency that the new collapse is 10 meters deep, and is located only a few meters away from another slide that took place last week due to Israel’s ongoing excavations.

Siyam added that a small truck that was parked in the area fill in the hole that was caused by the collapse. A child was wounded shortly afterwards when he fell near the collapse site.

Also, rain water started flooding the Al Ein nearby mosque where the excavations are concentrated.

The Jerusalem Center for Social and Economic Rights (JCSER) reported that Monday’s slide is only one of a series of similar slides that took place last year. The most recent slide took place at a local school for girls; 17 students were wounded.

The (JCSER) stated that the Israeli excavations are causing structural damage to several properties in the areas, especially in Al Ein mosque.

The center warned of a series of collapses in Silwan, and the Old City, as Israel is digging to construct a network of tunnels in the area. The excavations already led to structural damage in dozens of buildings in the area.

jerusalem | holy sites | news report saed at imemc dot org