HOLY LAND: SACRED SITES IN DANGER - URGENT PETITION

Garden of Gethsemane - Wiki

The Mount of Olives, home to the Garden of Gethsemane, and the place of Jesus' Ascension, is in danger of being destroyed, if Israeli plans to build a military academy there go ahead.

Plans involve the construction of an eight-story structure, five stories of which will be built into the ridge, with 41,480 square metres of built up space. The Ministry of Interior has stated that the site is adjacent to the settler inspired Tsurim National Park on the slopes of the Mount of Olives and a press release asserted that “...the construction of the IDF College in Jerusalem is a central pillar in strengthening Jerusalem as the centre of national governmental institutions...”

The Israel Defence Force (IDF) has now posted notices around the Mount of Olives, for example on the gate of the Lutheran Augusta Victoria, stating their intention to build a military academy on the site.

Experience shows that any military presence brings with it large areas that are deemed closed areas under military law, which subsequently prevent access to roads, fields and homes by the local Palestinian community.

Please see the website: http://peaceonthemountofolives.wordpress.com/ for maps and much more detail. As it is an eight story structure it is likely to show on the skyline from Jerusalem and affect the areas that tourists and pilgrims can access.

The site used to be owned by two Palestinian families. In 1968 it was expropriated by the Israeli government and now lies next to the Palestinian neighbourhood of A-Suwane, and close to the Israeli settlement of Beit Orot.

Emek Shaveh, an organization of archaeologists and community activists focusing on the role of archaeology in Israeli society and in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has told us: “If the Churches get involved and oppose the plan it could have a great impact. If the churches mention the holiness of the mountain, it might affect the plan. The most effective work, for you as outsiders, will be to influence the churches to object to the plan. I think that the Israeli authorities will be affected by pressure from churches and foreign governments”

We have very little time because in mid-December the Regional Planning Committee in Jerusalem will make their decision and we need to raise our concerns before then.

There is a petition that can be downloaded and printed off, or signed online here: www.change.org/petitions/reject-plans-to-build-a-military-college-on-the-mount-of-olives

Please forward this information to your contacts.