Holy places – Letter from the Islamic Court in Jerusalem – Letter from Tunisia

LETTER DATED 28 JUNE 1990 FROM THE PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF

TUNISIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS ADDRESSED TO THE PRESIDENT OF

THE SECURITY COUNCIL

In my capacity as Chairman of the Group of Arab States during the month of June 1990, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith the text of a letter from the Al-Quds (Jerusalem) Administrative Inspector of Religious Courts addressed to the Head of Religious Courts, which contains the following information:

1. Near the Al-Aqsa Library, which contains the mausoleum of Sheikh Mohamed Al-Khalili and the north side of which faces the Gate of the Chain, there is in the passageway connecting the toilet and the Library, an outer room belonging to the house owned by the Al-Shahabi family, part of which is currently occupied by the Al-Jawhariyya School.  This room, which contains a window facing the courtyard of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, was walled up from the house to which it belongs.  The Rabbi used this room for prayer on Friday and Saturday, gaining access to it by means of the Al-Buraq Wall and using for this purpose an underground passage leading to a stairway to this room.

2. The Israelis are attempting to build an entrance to the passage leading to the Gate of Al-Ribat, which faces the holy sanctuary, the southern part of which passage houses the royal gallery, as they had already attempted to do a year and a half ago with regard to the passage leading to the Gate of Al0Awatima, which faces the sanctuary, but their attempts failed.

I should be grateful if you would have this letter circulated as a document of the Security Council.