Jordanian: Israel must stop Old City dig

A Jordanian official called on Israel to stop archeological excavations near the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City.Abdullah Kanaan, the head of Jordan’s Royal Committee for Jerusalem’s Affairs, said Wednesday that he was concerned Israel was attempting to “Judaize the city and change its Arab and Islamic characteristics,” The Associated Press reported.Israel is excavating on the Mughrabi ramp near the Temple Mount in order to save any archeological finds before the construction of a new pedestrian walkway to the hilltop compound. But Muslims say they are worried the excavation will harm Islamic shrines on the compound, which Muslims know as the Noble Sanctuary.Israel insists the work will not harm any Muslim holy sites.Still, Kanaan said, “Israel’s persistence to carry on with its measures will lead to more violence, terrorism and the determination of the Palestinian, Arab and Muslim peoples everywhere to fight the occupation.”