BBC correspondent gives false impression about Jerusalem building plans
There are two misleading aspects to this BBC web posting. First, the photo and caption give the false impression that the graveyard depicted is the site on which the Simon Wiesenthal Center intends to build. In reality, the Center plans to build on an adjacent car park. Furthermore, nowhere in the text of the report is it made clear that the planned site of the museum is restricted to what is presently a car park adjacent to the area containing Muslim gravestones.
This car park has been situated on the site of a Muslim burial ground for 48 years. Instead, the article gives the false impression that the Simon Wiesenthal Center proposes to build a structure on top of a previously undisturbed cemetery. For example, in the journalist’s later comments, he describes the state of disrepair of gravestones in the cemetery, even though none of these will be touched by the development.
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'Row over Jerusalem Muslim cemetery'
BBC Online, Wyre Davies, 8 November 2008
Caption: The Wiesenthal Center says the new building will cover only part of the cemetery
Religious leaders in Jerusalem are warning of dangerous consequences after a decision by Israel's Supreme Court to allow the destruction of part of an ancient Muslim cemetery.
The graveyard has not been used for more than 50 years, but contains the bodies of some important Islamic figures.
Many of those bodies will now be disturbed to make way for a new Jewish "Museum of Tolerance".
Earlier this week hundreds of Muslims - young and old - marched through the centre of Jerusalem towards the city's Mamilla cemetery.
Police helicopters flew overhead and security was tight. The focus of the march, and of increasing Muslim anger, was the Israeli Supreme Court decision to sanction a controversial new building on part of the Muslim cemetery.
Outrage
Located just inside West Jerusalem, the cemetery is not used for burials any more but Muslim leaders made clear they still regard it as sacred, as they arrived for a rally reading verses from the Koran.
The Mufti of Jerusalem, Sheikh Mohammad Hussein, led the peaceful but passionate demonstration.
He called the court's decision an "outrage" and "disrespectful of the dead".
The $250m (£160m) complex - designed by Frank Gehry - will be built by the Los Angeles-based Simon Wiesenthal Center and is bold and ambitious.
Its sharp, futuristic lines will dominate the immediate area. In what is already a crowded city, Rabbi Marvin Hier, from the Simon Wiesenthal Center, said the museum was a sensible use of "derelict land".
"Jerusalem is a city built on top of thousands of bones - Jewish and Muslim," he said. "If we declared the whole of Jerusalem one huge cemetery, we'd never be able to build anything."
He pointed out that only part of the graveyard would be demolished to make way for the new centre.
Muslims disagree, and point out that the graveyard is still visited by the families of the dead.
"The cemetery is older than the United States - it's been used for hundreds of years," said Mohammed al-Dejani, whose great-grandfather is buried in the graveyard.
"Some of the warriors of Saladin [Muslim warrior who retook Jerusalem from the Crusaders] are buried there and other great Muslim leaders from many years ago."
Despite the strength of feeling among an increasing number of Muslims, there is no doubt that much of the cemetery is run-down. Some graves have been vandalised - others are in a poor state of repair. The Simon Wiesenthal Center says that it will deal respectfully with any human remains it uncovers or graves disturbed by the building work.