US academic Rashid Al-Khalidi appeals to UN over Mamilla demolitions

Published yesterday (updated) 19/08/2010 11:53

JERUSALEM (Ma'an) --

US academic Rashid Al-Khalidi appealed to the UN and other international officials Tuesday to defend a 12th century Islamic Cemetery of Ma'manullah (westernized as Mamilla), in Jerusalem from desecration, providing new information on the latest wave of demolitions by the Jerusalem Municipality.

Khalidi, writing on behalf of the Campaign to Preserve Ma'manullah (Mamilla) Jerusalem Cemetery, and Maria LaHood of the Center for Constitutional Rights in New York, provided details of the destruction of at least 150 recently-renovated tombs and grave markers by municipality staff since 4 August and on reports of further demolitions carried out at night without prior notice.

Parties defending the burial ground petitioned to the UN in February, filing an addendum in June, calling for urgent intervention to bring a halt to the demolitions and to protect the cemetery from further desecration. The latest letter was sent to UN Human Rights Special Rapporteurs, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UNESCO Director General, and the Swiss Government.

“It is a matter of grave concern that Israeli authorities are continuing to treat the Islamic religious sites and cultural heritage in the Holy City of Jerusalem in a manner that amounts to further desecration,” the letter read.

Campaigners, who have relatives buried at the site, and the CCR, called on concerned officials to “continue their investigation of this matter through on-site inspection, to demand that the Israeli Government cease its illegal actions in the cemetery in line with UNHRC resolution A/HRC/13/L.29 of 19 March 2010, and to consider the impact of the sustained desecration of an important historical and religious site in Jerusalem on the Petitioners and other interested individuals and groups.”

The razed grave markers and tombstones were recently renovated by the Israeli Shari’a court-appointed caretaker of the cemetery Mustafa Abu Zahra and his crew. Despite working with the municipality's approval, officials accused Abu Zahra's crew of working illegally and alleged that the renovated tombstones were "built illegally with the aim to take over the plot."

Descendants also address reports that Israeli authorities are pushing ahead with plans to build a judicial complex on the site, which the letter says will “certainly and inevitably cause the desecration of thousands more graves and human remains in the process of infrastructure and construction works in the ancient cemetery.”

The latest wave of demolitions follows the disinterment of over 1,500 graves in 2009 to make way for a controversial Museum of Tolerance, funded by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, which descendants have sought to halt through their petition to the UN and other bodies.

Palestinians rally against Ma'manullah (Mamilla) demolitions

Published yesterday (updated) 18/08/2010 22:16

JERUSALEM (Ma'an) --

Palestinians from Jerusalem and villages inside Israel rallied on Wednesday at the Ma'manullah (Mamilla) cemetery in West Jerusalem to protest the razing of several Muslim tombstones by Israeli municipal staff.

Protesters gathered at the cemetery at 10am and called on the Israeli government to bring an end to demolitions, which began on 4 August. Several Palestinian dignitaries were present, including Jerusalem Mufti Mohammad Hussien, Fatah chief of Jerusalem affairs Hatem Abdul Qader and Archbishop Attallah Hanna.

Representatives of families with relatives buried at the cemetery attended the rally, a day after providing additional information to their UN petition for urgent action on the latest demolitions.

Fatah Revolutionary Council member Dimitri Diliani said "violating the graves in the cemetery began in 1933 and is ongoing as the Israeli occupiers bulldozed around 299 graves 12 days ago."

The Ma'manullah (Mamilla) cemetery is believed to date as far back as the 7th century, when companions of the Prophet Muhammad were reputedly buried there, as well as Sufi saints and thousands of other officials, scholars, notables and Jerusalem families.

In 2009, over 1,500 graves were disinterred by the Jerusalem Municipality to make way for a controversial Museum of Tolerance, funded by the US Simon Wiesenthal Center.