Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Yigal Levin <Yigal-Levin AT utc.edu>]

I recieved this from another list and am posting it as received, since I
think that it should be in the interest of all people of culture.

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I'm writing to you as the deputy chairman for the Danish Society of
Biblical Archaeology. We have from time to time observed the ongoing
destructions of un-investigated archaeological remains from the Temple
Mount in Jerusalem. I know this can be a hot issue, but I do want to raise
it in a quiet and nonprovocative way in this context.

The reason for this address is that we would ask you as an individual and
as the institutions, you represent, to raise the problem of these
destructions of archaeological material and put it on the agenda of the
World Heritage Conference, which is due to be held in Budapest late June
2002. What has been destroyed, can of course no longer be re-established.
However, future destructions might possibly be avoided, if this Conference
could voice a clear protest against religiously and politically motivated
destructions of archaeological remains, both in Jerusalem and elsewhere.
And Arab authorities in Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories might be
motivated to show more care about non-Islamic remains, if a leading
authority for preservation of the World Cultural Heritage could react
expressly against the last three years of damage in connection with the
Temple Mount.

The whole world raised a sharp protest against the recent Taliban
destructions of unique Buddha figures. And yet those figures were well
known, scientifically described and thoroughly analysed. But in case of
the Temple Mount, archaeological remains that never have been investigated
at all, are just thrown away or given over to the Black Market.

The Danish Society of Biblical Archaeology is only a tiny organization.
Our voice will easily be disregarded. Therefore we appeal to you to join
us for a common voice in raising this issue to the Conference in Budapest.

Yours sincerely

Knud W. Skov,
deputy chairman of the Danish Socity of Biblical Archaeology
M. theol./Youth-college-teacher (sba AT israel.dk)
Hedem=F8llevej 29A, DK - 8850 Bjerringbro, tlf.: (+45)86685090
Se more abt. SBA and find a link for the ongoing destructions an the 
Temple Mount through <http://www.sba-dk.dk/>http://www.sba-dk.dk



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Dr. Yigal Levin
Dept. of Philosophy and Religion
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
615 McCallie Avenue
Chattanooga TN 37403-2598
U.S.A.