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Iraq Erasing Hebrew Inscriptions from Ezekiel's Tomb

(Jerusalem Post) Ksenia Svetlova - For centuries Jews, Christians and Muslims came to Al-Kifl, a small town south of Baghdad, to visit the tomb of the Prophet Ezekiel and pray. The Al-Kifl shrine has a distinctive Jewish character, namely the Hebrew inscriptions and the Torah Ark. The vast majority of Iraq's Jewish community left some 60 years ago, but Shi'ites took good care of the holy site - until now. Recently the Iraqi news agency Ur reported that a huge mosque will be built on top of the grave by Iraq's Antiquities and Heritage Authority, while Hebrew inscriptions and ornaments are being removed from the site, all as part of renovations. Prof. Shmuel Moreh of Hebrew University confirmed the report. "I first heard the news of tomb desecration from a friend of mine who is a German scholar. After visiting the site he called me and said that some Hebrew inscriptions on the grave were covered by plaster and that a mosque is planned to be built on top of the tomb." "Someone must intervene before it's too late," Moreh warned.
2010-01-15 08:21:51
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