Bulldozing History

PALINFO – Just days after [Jerusalem] was occupied, Israel began altering the physical landscape of Jerusalem by destroying one of the oldest neighbourhoods in the city. Harat al Magharibeh (the Moroccan quarter), which lay in front of the Western Wall in the old city, was promptly bulldozed just a few days after the Israeli occupation of the city.

The quarter dated back nearly 800 years and was not only home to some Ayyubid and Mamluk buildings, but also some 650 people. The residents were given just a few hours’ notice to leave before their homes were reduced to rubble. Indeed, it is often said that Israeli archaeologists are the only archaeologists in the world to use bulldozers. CONTINUE READING