The Beyadenu movement, which works to preserve Jewish heritage on the Temple Mount, has been cooperating with the Israel Antiquities Authority to safeguard remains from the ancient Temple.
After the movement’s activists on the ground reported that protective coverings had been removed from ancient wooden beams near the Golden Gate (Gate of Mercy) on the Temple Mount, Beyadenu submitted an urgent request to the Antiquities Authority to ensure the beams were re-covered before the onset of winter rains.
The Israel Antiquities Authority later confirmed that the beams, some of which date back to the First Temple period and were identified as rare Lebanese cedar wood, have since been covered.
Akiva Ariel, acting director of the movement, said, “The fact that physical remains from the days of King Solomon or the era of Herod are left outdoors and exposed to the elements is a national disgrace. While we commend the Antiquities Authority for its swift response ahead of the rains, we will not rest until these beams are transferred for professional preservation in a museum. The heritage of the Jewish people at their holiest site must never be taken for granted."