The Palestinian Authority has started marketing a real estate project near the site of Joshua's Altar on Mt. Ebal despite the fact that it is one of the most significant archaeological sites in Samaria, which documents an event described in the Books of Deuteronomy and Joshua.
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According to the case recounted in the Bible, the twelve tribes of Israel erected an altar at the site of their entry into the Land of Israel. A few weeks ago Channel 14 News announced that the Palestinian Authority plans to build dozens of houses on this site.
The plan is to build houses on the ancient wall that borders the altar, which is also known as the "Sandal Compound."
A patrol team of the Lands Department in the Samaria Regional Council discovered that the PA has even started marketing houses on this site, meaning that it is not just planning on paper, but a methodological attempt to destroy the important archaeological site.
Head of the Samaria Regional Council, Yossi Dagan, demands that the government intervene immediately in the PA's attempt to destroy the landmark and isolate it in such a way that Israelis cannot visit there.
"Same rule as the Western Wall"
"This is the ultimate level of audacity. The government must immediately intervene in this scandal," he told Israel Hayom. "Joshua's Altar is a site of priceless importance in Jewish history, a rare relic of the biblical tribal period. The murderous Palestinian Authority is not the one to blame as their intentions are known to all; each and every government, every official who could have stopped this absurdity and did not bear responsibility is to blame. History will judge those who disregarded the historical sites of the Jewish People."
The "Protectors of Eternity" organization also said that this was an omission. "The same law that is applied to the Western Wall must be applied to this altar – nothing less. This violation is a war crime that may also be significant on an international level, one that is beyond the mere legal and moral obligation to protect our national heritage."
"Erasing the Jewish Connection"
Dagan clarified that immediate action must be taken to prevent the start of any construction. "The government of Israel must exercise its authority and responsibility, which it has according to international conventions, in order to protect the integrity of the historical site."
He also said that: "The work must be halted, the compound must be closed and it must be declared a national park. The way that previous governments conducted themselves left a vacuum, which the Palestinian Authority entered, with one goal: erasing the site and the Jewish historical connection to the place."
Earlier in January, Israel Hayom published that Defense Minister Yoav Gallant intends to take action in order to preserve the archaeological site, writing to an MK that "the security forces will show no tolerance towards any damage to archaeological sites in the Judea and Samaria region."
He noted that officials in the Civil Administration made it clear to the Palestinian Authority that any damage to the altar would not be accepted and if "such an action occurs, it will be met with an immediate and decisive response, in accordance with the powers established by law."
Mount Ebal is now void of any Jewish presence because about two years ago the Civil Administration evicted a Jewish farm owned by Yedidya Meshulmi, a resident of Itamar.
A few months later, the Palestinian Authority began to build the main road in the nearby village and they looted archaeological remains from the stones of the altar wall.
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