Second Temple?

[mwc]

From here:

Israeli archaeologists of the nonpartisan Committee Against the Destruction of Antiquities on the Temple Mount held an emergency press conference Thursday, August 30th, warning that infrastructure works performed on Jerusalem's Temple Mount threaten an ancient wall that has been found during the works and is likely to be a remnant of the Second Temple. An Israeli official, however, refuted these claims.

 

The Jerusalem Post reports, that in the press conference archaeologist Gaby Barkai from Bar Ilan University said that "a massive seven meter-long wall" had been found during digs to lay electrical cables near Al-Aqsa mosque. The works were approved by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the Israeli Antiquities Authority. Barkai explained that the wall was likely a part of the Second Temple's courts. "This is the first time in history of archaeological excavation in Israel that we have remains that could be part of the courts of the Temple itself", he emphasized. He called for an immediate halt of the works, which involve heavy machinery that might damage the newly-found wall and other ancient remains.

 

However, a day after the press conference archaeologist Dan Bahat, a former excavations official in Jerusalem, reportedly said he suspected a political agenda was behind the committee's claims. Bahat said that the Israeli Antiquities Authority has an observer on site, who monitors the work, and he would have stepped in if any ancient ruins were at risk.

 

The Committee Against the Destruction of Antiquities on the Temple Mount plans to appeal to the High Court of Justice this week to stop the dig.

mwc