The archaeologists all agree, according to a leading Muslim authority in Jerusalem. There is no evidence of ancient Jewish presence in the city. From ABNA.co:
Chairman of the Suprerme [sic] Islamic Council in Jerusalem Dr. Ekrima Sabri has declared that after twenty-five years of digging, archaeologists are unanimous that not a single stone has been found related to Jerusalem’s alleged Jewish history.
Sheikh Sabri said Israel’s opening of a Biblical park south of Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem was only a further attempt to erase the Arab-Islamic identity of the region, Sabri said.
Israeli authorities have been building the Biblical park atop the Umayyad palaces in Jerusalem. But Sabri said that archaeologists agree that the stones along the southern wall of Al-Aqsa Mosque are remains of the Umayyad palaces, proving that the entire area is an Islamic endowment.
All archaeologists also agree that there were no native Americans when English colonists arrived.
Stories to the contrary are just lies by Indian propagandists.
Where are the Muslims who will tell the truth? Will any declare that Sabri is a bald-faced liar? If not, why not? The answer to that question is important.
The full story is here. HT: Paleojudaica.
8 thoughts on “Sabri: Not a Single Jewish Stone in Jerusalem”
I agree with the rhetorical point of your question. The answer is due in part to the Muslim conviction of Umma, which creates a strong sense of solidarity among Muslims worldwide. If one Muslim is criticized, so is the whole house of Islam
If you'll do a Google Image search for "Ekrima Sabri", you'll see that he's not bald-faced at all! Seriously, Todd, how many thinking people do you suppose pay any attention whatsoever to the blatherings of someone like this? More to the point, why do YOU feel the need to? Does what he says CHANGE anything? Does it even MEAN anything? Rein in your ire for a moment and see this for what it is: the latest salvo in an on-going, low-grade war of words. Look, when Dr. Eilat Mazar implied provocatively in an interview a few weeks ago that Israeli archaeologists would be digging on and under the Haram al-Sharif/ Temple Mount right now were it not for "all kinds of sensitivities", and talked about "future excavations when [the] time comes" — do you recall anyone (except me, of course) taking HER to task? I think not. Which of the two outrageous, irresponsible utterances – Sabri or Mazar – was the more potentially damaging to coexistence and mutual respect in Jerusalem? It's a thought question – I have no answer.
TOM POWERS / Jerusalem
This sort of rant from Sabri is silly, but no surprise to anyone. Let's be honest. He and his constituents feel threatened, since Israel has the upper hand and is winning the PR war of history and archaeology … for now anyway. I have visited the park he is criticizing, and it is ignorant and unfair for anyone to characterize it in such a political way only. The Archaeological Park and Davidson Center exhibits show Jebusite, Canaanite, Jewish, Roman, Byzantine and Islamic cultural ruins and there is much evidence (fairly presented I might add) of the long years of Muslim influence on Al Quds with a clear interpretation of all layers of archaeological remains down to bedrock. It is a very nice exhibit and rigorously scientific in emphasis – not political at all, unless one chooses to see it that way. Perhaps Sabri has never been allowed to visit the Davidson Center … maybe he is just sore about that. ;>) No?
The problem is not that this particular individual is re-writing history… the problem is that it is a systematic attempt by the Palestinian Arabs to wipe Israel off of the map of history.
The problem with goundless (sic!) comments like Sabri's is that there is an audience which can accept them as true.
After all, some 'minimalists' falsely claimed the same for years.
Tom has a point. Earlier this year when Terry Jones burnt a Koran, & Harold Camping predicted Judgment Day, Christians "[paid no] attention whatsoever to [their] blatherings" & said nothing to distance themselves from them, right? In fact everyone reading this right now is probably saying, "Jones, Camping … never heard of 'em."
Tom, you ask how many "thinking" people pay attention to Sabri's blatherings. You're right about the (implied) answer (i.e. very few), but the question is wrongheaded. Sadly, most people are not (what we would call) "thinking" people.So this Sabri guy can have a big influence on a lot of people (especially if he can tack on "Dr." in front of his name).
Who do you think has more of an audience (and consequently more influence), IEJ or National Geographic; BASOR or 60 Minutes?
SO I think it IS important to take the Sabris and the Mazars to task (although I don't think it's fair to put Eilat Mazar in the same camp as Sabri–would you really say that she is not a "thinking" person? You may not agree with her, but to lump her together with Sabri is a different matter).
We often read or hear that some researchers doubt the historicity of events mentioned in the Bible. This is especially true about tales of the Fall, the Flood, the tower of Babel, and miracles that were described in the Gospels. These are accounts that researchers regard as unreliable. They may think them to be legends or myths, and think them unworthy of serious consideration.
We are going to study this difficult subject by considering many examples. This study is especially designed for people who sincerely want to study the historic accuracy of Biblical accounts.
In the text we will introduce many archaeological discoveries that support Biblical accounts. They have many times confirmed information originally found in the Bible.
The source: http://www.jariiivanainen.net/Bible_and_the_history.html