Tuesday January 19, 2010 10:38
by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News Report post
The Committee for Defending the Lands and Structures in Silwan town, in East Jerusalem, reported that the land slide and collapse that took place on Monday morning in the main road of Wadi Hilwa in Silwan had significantly increase due to the rain.
The first collapse took place due to the ongoing underground constructions and excavations carried out by Israeli near the Al Aqsa Mosque.
Local residents warned that the collapse could increase and reach the southern wall of the Al Aqsa Mosque as it is currently a few meters away from it. It could also lead to the collapse of several buildings and homes in the area, already fragile due to the ongoing illegal Israeli excavations.
Israel is constructing a network of tunnels that lead to the southern wall of the Al Aqsa mosque and underneath the mosque itself.
The Arabs48 news website reported that the Israeli police had to seal off the main road that links the town with its neighborhoods, and with Al Thoury area, Al Sawahra town, Jabal Al Mokabbir and Wadi Qaddoum.
He added that dozens of residents saw huge gaps under the road after Israel removed the rubble from the tunnels, and that the slides would continue to occur as the excavations are ongoing.
On Monday morning, a 3 X 4 meters slide took place in the center of Wadi Hilwa Street leading to structural damage, and injuries among the residents.
Sheikh Mohammad Hussein, the Mufti of Jerusalem and the Imam of the Al Aqsa Mosque, called on the International Community and Human Rights groups to intervene and stop the ongoing Israeli excavations under the Al Aqsa Mosque and in different areas in East Jerusalem.
Jawad Siyam, head of the Wadi Hilwa Information Center, said that the new collapse, 10 meters deep, is only a few meters away from a collapse that took place in the same area last week.
He added that a small truck that was parked in the area fell in the hole that resulted from the collapse, and that a child was wounded later on.
Also, rain waters flooded into the El Ein nearby mosque, the center point of illegal Israeli excavations.
category jerusalem | holy sites | news report author email saed at imemc dot org
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