FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UNION OF ORTHODOX JEWISH CONGREGATIONS
CONDEMNS WAQF EXCAVATIONS ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT, CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE HALT AND CALLS FOR GREATER CAUTION AND OVERSIGHT IN COMPLETING UTILITY WORK

Today, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization, condemned continued unsupervised Muslim excavations on the Temple Mount, one the Judaism’s holiest sites and called for greater caution in completing the utility work.

As noted in multiple news sources, these excavations, which involve digging a 150-meter trench for water pipes and electricity cables, are damaging an ancient wall that is likely a remnant of the Second Temple and must be halted immediately. The Orthodox Union calls for greater caution and Israeli police oversight of the completion of any utility excavations. It is important that all governments of good faith stand up and protest the destruction of one of the holiest sites of many of the major religions.

Stephen Savitsky, President, and Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, Executive Vice President of the Orthodox Union, stated:

We are extremely disturbed by the continuing Waqf controlled excavations taking place on the Temple Mount, and the lack of respect for Judaism’s holy sites. We insist that the Waqf halt all work in progress on the Temple Mount and call upon the Israeli government to take all the necessary steps to protect Judaism’s heritage at this holy site.

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