Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu fought back Wednesday against Arab accusations over a decision to place two Jewish holy sites in Judea on a list of Israel's national heritage sites. He noted that renovation work is currently being carried out on the Muslim side of the Cave of Machpelah, also known as the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron.
“Israel is committed to freedom of worship for adherents of all religions in all of the holy sites,” Netanyahu stated. “This policy is implemented in the Cave of Machpelah, too, where the state is always working to ensure proper conditions for worship for both Jews and Muslims.”
Inside Cave of Machpelah (Tomb of the Patriarchs) / Flash 90
"Evidence of this is, for example, the renovation work that is currently being completed at the entrance plaza and the road that leads to the Muslim prayer area at the site.” Any attempt to claim otherwise, he said, “is an artificial attempt to twist reality and provoke strife.”
MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union), chairman of the newly established Land of Israel Lobby in the Knesset, told Arutz Sheva that the decision to include the Cave of Machpelah and Rachel's Tomb in the list of heritage sites was the lobby's first success. “The roots of the Nation of Israel are in the heritage sites of Judea and Samaria,” he said. “We will act to include additional sites like Joseph's Tomb and Tel Shiloh to the list of heritage sites.”