Israel on Sunday inaugurated the Atarot Heritage Center in northern Jerusalem, a new museum dedicated to preserving the history of the former Atarot moshav, a Jewish farming community destroyed during the War of Independence in 1948.
The site, established by the Ministry of Heritage and the Government Tourism Company, is housed in the historic Atarot airport terminal, which served as Jerusalem’s airport until 2000. Another section of the terminal will commemorate the 1976 Entebbe rescue operation.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his wife Sara Netanyahu, Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, cabinet ministers and members of the Knesset.
The project is part of a broader government initiative to preserve the history of Atarot while developing the surrounding area.
The opening drew sharp criticism from the Palestinian Authority.
Chaim Silberstein with Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu
(Photo: Courtesy)
In a statement issued after the ceremony, the Palestinian Authority’s governor of the Jerusalem district accused Israel of using the project to strengthen its sovereignty claims in northern Jerusalem, reshape the historical narrative of the area and advance development plans for the Atarot neighborhood.
The Palestinian Authority called on the international community to intervene, arguing that the project undermines prospects for a future Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.