there are archeologcal schools and volunteers that go through the "garbage" from muslim excavations and construction. there are many atiquities dating back over a thousand years that this room was dated at. My heart does not go soft for them. If they want to play this game then this is what happens.

Well, too bad they did. Anything that the archaeologists find should be revealed, whether it's the Muslim prayer room or something else it will be found there. Hopefully, nothing bad will happen and the bridge will be built without any catastrophe.

Which is why the authorities didn't feel like mentioning it. We all know the reaction of fanatics to anything they can use as a pretext to whip up the mob. It's the nature of the beast - but giving in to Islamic crazies only encourages more problems.

After the conquest of Jerusalem by the crusaders in 1099 and long before Salah al-Din was even born, the christians transformed the Dome of the Rock into a christian church and they used Masjid Al-Aqsa as a stable for their horses. Do they have any claims on the Rock, seen the climate of appeasement and political correctness which is pervading this Administration?

...and thought the Muslim hysteria was unjustified and whipped up by people with ulterior motives, this discovery changes that. If the works could cause damage to a holy site (Jewish or Muslim), then they should cease.

Firstly saladin was a freaking kurd who was not even muslim according to many. A prayer room ? umm excuse me but while joseph's grave and samuel's grave and thousands of jewish holy places get vandalized.. I dont give 2 agurot about a prayer room.. The muslim's should be punished for having the chutzpa to build their mosques on our holy temple mount.

Keeping quiet about this discovery is a kin to throwing gasoline on a fire to extinguish the flames. You guys were wrong about this one.

As crazy as Salah was in all his speaches... it turns out he was right.. and how does this make Israel look?.....

It's a historical find, and should be left to archeologists, historian, and tourists. Like most any other historical site.

both .. jews and muslims can be trusted in controling this city...

Jerusalem is known as the holiest city on earth largely because it is holy to all faiths. Neither the Israeli government nor the Israeli government at large is attempting to deny the strong Muslim connection with the Temple Mount area. What Salah was attempting to do in his crazy speeches, however, was to deny and erase any Jewish connection. He went so far as to say that any Muslim drawing any correlation between the Western Wall and the Jews was a traitor to Allah. This prayer room, which was built centuries after the destruction of the Temple, in no way diminishes a Jewish connection to the same area.

when there is so much of hint of Islamic connecton--the claim will be for the "whole schmier"-and the relgigous claims of infidels are of no relevance whatsoever. To quote the astronauts: Houston, we have a problem. It does not matter whether the Antiquitieis authority relevedled the finding years ago--or just now--the results--supremacist demands from the Waqf--will be just as grating.

What we have is an alleged Muslim prayer room. Or maybe it is a Christian one? The old town of Jerusalem is full of Jewish, Christian and Muslim historical and religious remains. If everything, even dubious and rather unimportant finds should be respected to the same degree no construction work at all would be possible. The sane position here and in agreement with the status quo is that the Muslim side is entitled to necessary repair works on top of the Temple Mount and the Jewish side the same on the Western Plaza and the Western Wall including the Mugrabi bridge. But sheik Salah is of cause not interested in maintaining the status quo, he wants to change it and so far it seems that he will succeed. Advantage to sheik Salah! The Israeli response the Salah offensive seems confused and weak. Wise up before it is too late!

.....and he was a Jew who leaded Muslims to conquer the crusaders . He put a pulpit and prayer alcove in Al-Aqsa mosque for Muslim prayer to be destroyed by jew nearly 1000 year later ! Do you know why for sure he was a Muslim, because he did not destroy or vandalize his enemys crusaders' holy sites when he freed the Holy land.

do you mean that Israel is not jewish, or the Jews are not israeli ?

Muslims have demonstrated historically only perfunctory respect for the houses of worship and sacred sites of other faiths. The pattern has been either to destroy them or to "resanctify" them as Islamic holy sites. Hindu temples in India, Budhist statues in Bamiyan, synagogues in the Old City of Jerusalem or, more recently in Gaza - all destroyed. Ancient churches in Turkey, now mosques. Mosques built around Joseph's Tomb in Jericho and the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron. Does the Wakf recognize any Jewish rights connected to the Temple Mount? Rhetorical question, I know. Too many Muslims live under the ideology that only their sites, their holy books, their ideas, their sensitivities matter. Those who would toss Jewish archaeological treasures like so much garbage have no credibility here. Those now expressing outrage over this Muslim "prayer room" are, to put it simply, hypocrites of a high order.

AND ONLY THE LORD KNOWS WHAT OTHER FACTS THE STATE OF ISRAEL IS HIDING, STOP DICEIVING THE WORLD, YOU ALWAYS GET COUGHT IN LIES AND MISREPRESENTATION, REPEN ISRAEL!!!!!

The fact is that The Jews built the foundation on which all these muslim sacrad sites stand.... I suspect this witholding of information will over shadow the fact that the muslims have stripted all jewish artifacts from solmons stables and dumped them on the trash heap.... Everyone including Jews and muslims have the responsibilitiy to preserve in an open way the integerty of the artifacts of the mount. =========== May God establish his holy presense on the mount.

They pray to a god that doesn't exist, they look to him for answers that he never gives. They take their shoes off on ground that can never be sactioned as holy, they pray on rugs to keep the floor clean, they go through these motions and then hit the streets frustrated and angry because they found out their god is asleep. A muslim prayer room---now that's funny.

he rushed on accepting Turkish supervision of the dig. So, Israel has to anounce the 3-year hidden discovery as a "preemptive stike"

So a muslim prayer room has been found near the Mugrabi Gate .. amazing they have actually found a site that was used by muslims .. what about all the hundreds of sites found that were used by jews or christians. Its not a secret that Jerusalem has been conquered many times in its histroy by the Greeks, Romans, muslims, the christian crusaders its not a secret that all these invaders left their mark on the city. So while Salah al din was running the city muslim prayer rooms were built quite natural it doent strenghen the muslims claim to the city or weaken the jewish claims all it shows is one of the conquerers once built a prayer room. The Israeli authorities mistakenly or not covered it up and now the muslims know about its existance and they are going to use it for propoganda purposes and to encourage the riots the muslim leaders want so badly.

1. - Why only Jews are among archaeologists? 2. If Israel speaks about istelf that is democratic state, why aren´t non-Jews among archaeologists on holy-sites? 3. If is democracy in Israel, why Antiquities Authority is Jewish only? In Israel lives Christians, Muslims, Jews, Atheists and the other, history of ALL Middle East is MULTICULTURAL, MULTINATIONAL and MULTIRELIGIOUS - why Jews don´t respect it????? 4. Why Jewish institutions hold back informations about this discoveries, finds? Non-Jews were afraid of danger of Jewish excavations on non-Jewish holy-sites. And non-Jews were truth. Again...

I was disappointed to hear that the authorities kept quiet, because as I've already said, anything that is found should be revealed. However what you've said was simply wrong. Whether you're gonna like it or not, Israel is Jewish country and has the right to hire who ever she would like to, Christians, Muslims, Jews, Atheists or the others. Just like Turkey, Egypt or Qatar are Muslim countries and they hire who ever they want and wherever they want, so we too have the right. I don't know why the authorities kept quiet, but trust me, many Jewish citizens will disagree with that. I, as a citizen of this beautiful country, would like to know more about her past and any reveal would be accepted. -"In Israel lives Christians, Muslims, Jews, Atheists and the other, history of ALL Middle East is MULTICULTURAL, MULTINATIONAL and MULTIRELIGIOUS - why Jews don´t respect it????? " You mean that Christians, Muslims, Jews, Atheists and the others don't live in France? How about America? No? What about Holland? Canada? Israel has her past, present and future and if you don't agree with her democracy, no one is really trying to force you. Besides, many countries in Europe are declaring about their democracy but many few are really democratic. -"If Israel speaks about istelf that is democratic state, why aren´t non-Jews among archaeologists on holy-sites? " You mean when non-Jews, as you called them, are working in Israel as doctors, journalistics, lecturers, engineers and other professions the are just faking that? Hmm.... Interesting. You mean that when the last war in Lebanon took place and the Israeli arabs left to the streets against this war, blaming their country not Huzbalah, that it's not a democracy? When those non-Jewish people, as you called them, have the choice to go to the army and protect their country like Druze and Bedouins do, but they choose not to because this choice is given to them, even this isn't a democracy? How about those non-Jewish Israeli Members of Knesset who go to travel to Europe on the Israeli citizen's money and blame Israel for everything that happens in the Arab world and call it "Apartheid country" without actually knowing what's that means, that's also isn't democracy? You may not like our democracy and it wouldn't be a "Europien" one but it's ours. Trust me, in this "non-democratic" country is a bigger chance that PM would be in the future non-Jewish , althouh they are minority (non-Jewish) than in the democratic Europe. -"Non-Jews were afraid of danger of Jewish excavations on non-Jewish holy-sites. And non-Jews were truth. Again... " That's only your opinon and that the time will show.

I say dump the junk . If it's ok to destroy Jewish excavations and the world remains silent , then dump the Muslim junk.

Greeeeaaaaaat blah, blah, blah :o))))) Never I see so many sterile words. I thank you for Your "unanswers", it was really perfect. Your nationalistic demagogy was also flawless. And now once more - more ANSWERS and less propagandistic MOTTOS, please! Thank You very much.

The real reason I've responded to you was because I thought that maybe, but maybe, there is a chance to discuss and share our views. However, you seemed really the one that has nothing more to say. The funny thing is that you actually believe that someone is obligeded to give you answers. When a person gives you respect and responds to your comment, be a doll next time, just say to him/her : "Greeeeaaaaaat blah, blah, blah :o))))) " (when it's in reality don't forget to use your face). There is no need to continue talking, it will be summarized enough. Oh, one more thing. THANK YOU! You really made my 5 seconds :-)