History Mamilla Cemetery

1 history

1.1 pre-islamic period
1.2 islamic period
1.3 mandate palestine period
1.4 israeli control

1.4.1 museum of tolerance controversy
1.4.2 other developments

history
pre-islamic period

prior islamic period, on during rule of byzantine empire on palestine (c. 4th-6th centuries), church dedicated st mamilla established on same site , appears have been used burials @ time well. account of aftermath of persian capture of jerusalem in 614 strategius, monk of mar saba, says bodies of thousands of christians killed persian forces of sassanid empire - 4,518 according gregorian translations of lost greek original, , 24,518 according arabic translations of same - found in mamilla pool , buried in caves in , around it.

islamic period

tomb of emir aidughdi kubaki



sketch of kebekiyeh emir aidughdi kubaki interred in 1289

islamic rule on jerusalem began in 638 under rashidun caliphate , persisted 1,400 years, interrupted crusader invasions of 1099-1187 , 1229-1244. throughout of period, mamilla cemetery largest islamic cemetery in city, containing remains of emirs, muftis, arab , sufi mystics, soldiers of saladin , numerous jerusalem notables. cemetery said burial site of several of first muslims, sahabah, companions or disciples of muhammad, prophet of islam. in 1945, palestine post said covered area of on 450 dunams (111 acres), while haaretz in 2010 said @ peak, covered area of 200 dunams (some 50 acres). 1938 deed issued british mandatory authorities islamic waqf outlined size of plot 134.5 dunams (33 acres).

religious warriors or mujahideen died in battles control on jerusalem byzantines in 636 , crusaders in 1137 buried in cemetery, including, according tradition, 70,000 soldiers of saladin. church of st mamilla still standing in 9th century when palestine under rule of abbasid empire; listed in commemoratorium de casis dei (c. 808) 1 of properties jerusalem patriarch paid arabs taxes, , described bernard monk lying mile west of jerusalem (c. 870).

the cemetery mentioned arab , persian authors under various names throughout ages (see above). in 1020, al-wasiti writes muslim cemetery situated in zaytun al-milla , outlines advantages of being buried in jerusalem. ibn al-adim, syrian historian, recounts visiting cemetery several times, , on 1 visit in 1239-40 recalls going graves of rabi al-mardini (d. 1205-6), shaykh mardin renowned performing miracles, , al- iwaqi (d. 1232), pious sufi lived in compound of al-aqsa mosque. al-adim describes grave of former housed in prominent mausoleum other pious individuals.

during crusader rule on jerusalem, cemetery appears have once again served burial place christians. charles simon clermont-ganneau, french archaeologist, described , sketched several frankish sarcophagi in cemetery in 19th century, of destroyed in 1955 (see below).

during period of mamluk rule (c. 12th-15th centuries), of area s notable citizens buried in mamilla. structure known al-kebekiyeh (or zawiya kubakiyya), one-room square-shaped building covered dome , incorporating architectural materials crusader era built during period. identified tomb of emir aidughdi kubaki, syrian slave rose prominence governor of safed , aleppo, before death in 1289.

in 14th century work lam, collection of traditions on value of prayer in jerusalem, al-zarkashi says buried in city avoid fitnat al qabr or purgatory of tomb, , buried in zaytun al-milla itself, if buried in heaven.

mujir al-din al- ulaymi in al-uns al-jalil (c. 1496) says, ever invokes god s name while standing between graves of ibn arslān , al-quraishī [in māmilā cemetery], god grant wishes. al-quraishi, famous sufi mystic said have miraculous healing powers, immigrated jerusalem andulasia way of fustat , garnered school of disciples in new home numbered 600 people before death , burial in 1194. ibn arslan, buried alongside him 2 , half centuries later, charismatic sufi shaykh whom muslims surrounding countries came visit.

other notables buried in mamilla , recalled mujir al-din include 2 founders of zawiyas in jerusalem - nasr ed-din mohammad, 1 of ten emirs of gaza , , shaykh omar, moroccan of masmoudys, el modjarrad tribe. named several emirs, including ruq ed-din mankouros, imperial lieutenant of jerusalem citadel (d. ah 717), abu el-qasim, governor of nablus , custodian of jerusalem , hebron (d. ah 760), , nasser ed-din mohammad, custodian of 2 haram al-sharifs (holy mosques) of al-aqsa in jerusalem , al-ibrahimi in hebron (d. ah 828), among others.

during period of ottoman imperial rule 16th 20th centuries, cemetery continued serve burial site, , in 1847, demarcated 2 meter high fence.

mandate palestine period

mamilla region of jerusalem in 1946

burials in cemetery ceased in period of british rule on mandate palestine (1918–1948), following 1927 decision supreme muslim council, oversaw administration of waqf properties, preserve historic site. decision, cemetery, tombs, , grounds maintained.

in 1929, mohammad amin al-husayni, mufti of jerusalem, decided build palace hotel on assumed outside border of cemetery. while foundations being laid, arab workers uncovered muslim graves. baruch katinka, jewish contractor hired oversee project, wrote in memoirs when mufti informed of discovery, said quietly rebury bones elsewhere, feared raghib al-nashashibi, political rival , mayor of jerusalem, issue cease work order. shari law permits transfer of graves in special cases approval of qadi (muslim judge), husayni, acting head of supreme muslim council, highest body in charge of muslim community affairs in mandate palestine, authorized disinterment. when discovered had happened, rival factions filed suit against husayni in muslim courts, arguing had desecrated ancient graves.

the islamic waqf continued control cemetery , in 1944, cemetery designated antiquities site british mandatory authorities.

a november 1945 article in palestine post reported on plans of supreme muslim council (smc) , government town planning adviser build commercial center on cemetery grounds , transfer remains buried in areas developed 40 dunams walled reserve centered around tomb of al sayid al kurashi, ancestor of dajani family. member of smc told newspaper that, use of muslim cemeteries in public interest had many precedents both in palestine , elsewhere. smc s plan, however, never implemented.

israeli control

mamilla graveyard 1948

at time of israel s assertion of control on west jerusalem in 1948, cemetery, contained thousands of grave markers, came under administration of israeli custodian of absentee property , muslim affairs department of israel s ministry of religious affairs. end of 1967 war resulted in israeli occupation of east jerusalem, handful of broken grave markers remained standing. large part of cemetery bulldozed , converted parking lot in 1964 , public lavatory built on cemetery grounds.

in 1950s, ministry of foreign affairs, sensitive how treatment of waqf properties viewed internationally, criticized government policy towards cemetery. ministry representative described vandalism tombstones, including use guard appointed religious ministry build henhouse beside shelter in cemetery, , destruction of ancient tombs bulldozers cleaning mamilla pool. noting site constituted waqf property , lay within sight of american consulate, ministry said viewed situation, included plans new roads , parceling out of portions private landowners compensation other properties confiscated state, deep regret.

israeli authorities bulldozed several tombs in cemetery, including of identified frankish clermont-ganneau, establish mamilla park (or independence park) in 1955. 2 of largest , finest tombs survived, though lid of 1 overturned when moved original spot. other mamluk era funerary chapel known al-kebekiyeh (or zawiya kubakiyya), located in eastern end of independence park.

besides independence park, other parts of downtown jerusalem erected on cemetery grounds include experimental school, agron street, beit agron, , kikar hahatulot (cats’ square), among others. government buildings on cemetery grounds include main headquarters of israeli ministry of trade , industry, , customs department building, said located on once site of chapel dedicated st. mamilla.

grave of ahmad agha duzdar, ottoman governor of jerusalem (1838-1863). located in southern section of mamilla cemetery, headstone refurbished turkish government in consultation waqf in 2005.

in 1992, custodian of absentee property sold cemetery grounds jerusalem municipality, sale mufti of jerusalem, ikrema sabri, said had no right make. israeli electricity company destroyed more tombs on 15 january 2005 in order lay cables.

museum of tolerance controversy

in 2004, simon wiesenthal center (swc) revealed plans build center human dignity part of museum of tolerance target date completion in 2009. frank gehry appointed architect, , jerusalem municipality offered swc 3.5 acre plot in northern section of original mamilla cemetery parking lot built in 1964. marvin hier, head of swc, said association unaware site located on cemetery , told municipality land owned israel lands administration before given swc project.

during excavations prepare ground construction in 2005-2006, skeletons found , removed. islamic court, division of israel s justice system, issued temporary ban on work, work continued anyway. al aqsa association of islamic movement moved bring case before israel s supreme court.

the swc s plan elicited considerable outcry israeli academics , archaeologists, , work stayed several times courts. after supreme court rejected islamic movement s petition in october 2008, work resumed. between november 2008 , april 2009, crews of 40 70 people per shift worked in 8-hour stints, 24-hours day remove estimated 1,000 skeletons site slated construction.

in 2010, marvin hier, rabbi , founder , dean of swc, said our opponents have believe our bulldozers preparing desecrate ancient muslim tombstones , historic markers. let me clear: museum of tolerance not being built on mamilla cemetery, on adjacent 3-acre site where, half-century, hundreds of people of faiths have parked in three-level underground structure without protest. hier accused opponents of swc s building plans of sheer hypocrisy, noting plans of supreme muslim council build commercial center in 1945 evidence substantiated supreme court s ruling, mamilla cemetery regarded many muslim religious leaders mundras, or abandoned , without sanctity.

rashid khalidi, professor of arab studies @ columbia university, said that, contrary rabbi hier said, parking lot built on cemetery, part of it. , so, israeli authorities pushing ahead desecration of cemetery have been, unfortunately, nibbling away @ on 3 decades. , other families taking action group of families try , stop this, after other families failed in israeli supreme court. said have done dig down , disinter 4 layers, according chief archaeologist israeli archaeological authority, 4 layers of graves. there more beneath those, according report, suppressed in submissions israeli supreme court.

gehry resigned project in january 2010. new design museum drafted chyutin architects approved city of jerusalem in june 2011, receiving official building permit interior ministry in july 2011.

in october 2011, eighty-four archaeologists called on simon wiesenthal center, jerusalem municipality , israel antiquities authority end construction of museum of tolerance. in letter sent 3 bodies, archaeologists argued establishment of museum on site of mamilla muslim cemetery contradicted ethical standards in archaeological world, israeli law. bulldozing of historic cemeteries ultimate act of territorial aggrandizement: erasure of prior residents, said professor harvey weiss of yale university, adding desecration of jerusalem s mamilla cemetery continuing cultural , historical tragedy. simon wiesenthal center responded arguments in letter old, of mistaken nature , contain factual errors.

other developments

plans build new buildings house jerusalem magistrate s court , jerusalem district court on cemetery grounds cancelled supreme court president dorit beinisch in january 2010. decision followed discovery of human remains @ site, supporting critics claims construction in area offensive muslims.

on 9 august 2010, 300 muslim gravestones in cemetery bulldozed israel lands administration (ila) in area jewish human rights activists said close planned site museum of tolerance. reporter agence france presse witnessed destruction of 200 graves until work briefly suspended while court heard stop work petition rejected, allowing demolitions continue same day. judge later issued order prohibiting harm ancient graves , mandating ila coordinate work israel antiquities authority , representatives of islamic movement.

the jerusalem city council issued first official response in written statement on 12 august, saying that, municipality , (israel lands) authority destroyed around 300 dummy gravestones set illegally in independence park on public land. said these fake gravestones not erected on human remains , placed in park in effort illegally take on state land.

mahmud abu atta, spokesman al-aqsa foundation, denied city council s claim new tombs added illegally. said between 500 , 600 tombs had been renovated in total municipality s agreement, of tombs had totally rebuilt, tombs built or renovated contain bodies.

twenty graves destroyed or had tombstones removed vandals in january 2011. on night of 25–26 june 2011, 100 gravestones in intact part of cemetery destroyed israeli bulldozers. footage filmed local media , activists appeared on al arabiya , al jazeera , showed bulldozers pulling out after realizing being filmed; israeli officials made no comment on incident.

later same year, fifteen gravestones in cemetery spray painted red racist slogans reading death arabs , price tag , givat asaf , name of israeli outpost slated demolition. news reported in november 2011 agence france presse photographer saw damage. haaretz reported authorities did not know when vandalism took place, nor responsible, israeli police spokeswoman told afp slogans painted several weeks ago , had not yet been erased municipal authorities.