Occupied Jerusalem, ALRAY - The act of converting the historical citadel of Jerusalem, situated near the Hebron Gate in the old city, into what is known as the Museum of David, by the Israeli occupation government, has been criticized by Palestinian organizations who view it as a violation of its historical significance.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the President of the National Council, affiliated with the Palestine Liberation Organization, considered this step as an invalid and illegitimate action that violates all international resolutions.
He affirmed that the "Citadel of Jerusalem" and its mosque are an integral part of the endowments and historical Islamic landmarks of the city of Jerusalem. They are a symbol of its Arab and Islamic heritage.
The Islamic-Christian Association for the Support of Jerusalem stated in a statement on Wednesday, that the conversion of the Citadel of Jerusalem, which stands as a witness to the history and Arab-Islamic civilization of the city, into a museum promoting a fabricated Jewish narrative, constitutes a savage assault on the history and civilization of the holy city.
The statement highlighted that the "Citadel of Jerusalem" and its mosque serve as historical and cultural evidence of the Arab heritage of the sacred city. Transforming them into a museum centered on the Torah and presenting them in a Jewish context does not lend any political or historical legitimacy to the occupation or its distorted narrative regarding Jerusalem.
The international community and UNESCO were called upon to take necessary measures to "halt the attempts of the right-wing racist Israeli government to tamper with and distort historical facts and fulfill their role in protecting the Islamic and Christian sanctities from violations.
It is worth mentioning that the occupying authorities opened the Jerusalem Citadel at the Hebron Gate, dates to the Mamluk and Ottoman periods, on Monday, following 10 years of excavation, three years of restoration, and restructuring under the name "Museum of David's Citadel," at an approximate cost of 50 million dollars.
