West Bank historical landmark
The Ottoman Empire had ruled the Arab region and the Levant for more than four hundred years. The Ottoman historical landmarks in Jerusalem is estimated at more than 70%, which have been subject to vandalism and Judaization by the Israeli occupation authorities.
Looting of antiques
Thieves exploited the fact that some of these antiques were located in area C (under full Israel control) in the West Bank, and looted them, such as what happened to the Ottoman cemetery near Qabatiyeh town in the Jenin district, where 490 pieces of antiques were stolen.
Researcher Khaled Al-Bazari, told the PIC that "the separation wall isolated and destroyed more than 2,800 historical sites in the West Bank, which make 23% of the total number of archaeological sites in Palestine." He pointed out that some 100 archaeological sites dating back to the Ottoman era, located between the towns of Azzuba and Waqfin (between Jenin and Tulkarem), had been destroyed by the Apartheid Wall.
Dozens of Mamluk and Ottoman sites in al-Khalil have been looted and taken over by Israeli settlers, including those in Tel Aramida in particular and the Old City of al-Khalil in general, according to Dr. Ahmed Rajoub, the Director General of Antiques in the southern provinces of the West Bank.
Blurring historical sites
Mahmud Al-Bayrawi, the Director of Archaeological Sites in Nablus in the northern West Bank, told the PIC, "The occupation targets the historical sites of Ottomans and Mamluks, as well as the Ayyubids and the previous eras, by its excavations in the Old City of Jerusalem and at Al-Aqsa, searching for Hebrew traces."
He added that the occupation claims that historical landmarks are those dating back 1700 years ago or more. This designation has changed globally, and there is a new criterion for any site to be considered a historical heritage, which states that all buildings starting from the end of the Ottoman era are considered a historical heritage that should not be demolished or changed. The Jordanian law, which was in effect in Jerusalem, has been amended in accordance with that, and a Palestinian law (first and second drafts) was introduced and passed, which prohibits causing any damage to those buildings, and imposes severe penalties on violators.
Institutional negligence
Al-Bayrawi stressed that there is a neglect of the Ottoman and Mamluk sites in the West Bank, and a lack of care and maintenance, which requires a serious stand to protect and take care of them, especially that international organizations state that the world heritage should be taken care of.
Researcher in the affairs of Jerusalem, Abdel Salam Awad, told the PIC: "The city of Jerusalem contains a very large heritage of buildings and religious and archaeological sites, built by Muslims throughout history, since the Islamic era."
He added, "The occupation seeks to obliterate this great legacy, which serves as a witness to the Islamic history of the Ottomans," considering that "a desperate attempt to create a history and claims an Israeli ownership of antiques to prove the alleged Jewish right to the land, which is one of a series of attempts aimed at the Judaization of Jerusalem in particular."
Forging history
Awad said that "these practices against the Ottoman heritage is not new, and they are a continuation of previous steps in an attempt to make this city (Jerusalem) Jewish and Israeli. They also steal stones and put them on old buildings trying to add the Jewish character to them."
He noted, "The danger is very clear, because Muslims and Arabs have no control over these buildings. The danger also lies in forging history and taking over these historical landmarks, which confirm the Arab character of this holy city."
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