The Culture and Sports Ministry, led by Minister Miri Regev, this afternoon (Tuesday, 27 December 2016), at Jerusalem Walls – City of David National Park, near the Western Wall, held a festive ceremony to mark the beginning of events for the 50th anniversary of the liberation and unification of Jerusalem. Minister Regev unveiled the plaque on "Pilgrims Way" and dedicated the ancient street that will soon be open to the general public.
Minister Regev said, "Mr. President Barack Obama, I am standing here, on Chanukah 5777, on the route on which my forefathers walked 2,000 years ago. No resolution in any international forum is as strong as the steadfast stones on this street. No other people in the world has such a connection and link to its land, neither in Senegal, New Zealand, Ukraine nor Malaysia."
The route, which is currently being excavated in the City of David by the Israel Antiquities Authority, is 2,000 years old and served as one of Jerusalem's main streets in the later Second Temple era. The street, which was built in the Herodian period, starts at the Siloam Pool and ends below the steps at Robinson's Arch at the Western Wall. In the later Second Temple era pilgrims would immerse in the Siloam Pool and then ascend to the Temple.
Also in attendance were Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, MKs and former IDF paratroopers Dr. Itzik Yifat, Tzion Karsenty and Chaim Oshri, who were among those who liberated the Old City in 1967 and who are featured in David Rubinger's iconic photograph.
Minister Regev also said, "1,900 years after the Great Revolt against the Romans the paratroopers entered through Lion's Gate and realized the eternal dream of the Jewish People, the dream of Jews in Yemen, Ethiopia, Poland, Morocco and Russia – to return to Jerusalem, the capital of the Jewish People, the symbol of sanctity and justice. Fifty years ago, we turned hope into reality: Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, was once again united, and we will never agree to its being divided a second time."
Minister Regev also referred to a coin – dating from the Great Revolt and engraved with the words 'Freedom of Zion" – that was recently found in the Old City of Jerusalem and which she presented to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the 11 December 2016 Cabinet meeting. She said, "This coin, along with all of the archaeological finds, attests to the truth of history and to our deep ties to Jerusalem. Several weeks ago UNESCO declared that there is no such link. The ridiculous vote in Paris cannot cancel thousands of years of history. Today we respond to this distortion of history and say in a loud and clear voice: Jews lived in Jerusalem and will continue to live in Jerusalem. Jews built Jerusalem and will continue to build Jerusalem. Thus it was 2,000 years ago, thus it is today and thus it will remain forever."
For further details, please contact Culture and Sports Ministry Spokesperson Sivan Carmon at sivanc@most.gov.il or 050-62003388.
