The occupation inaugurated a new section of the "Pilgrims' Road" tunnel, funded by 50 million shekels and with American participation
Israeli authorities inaugurated a new section of the settlement tunnel known as the "Pilgrims' Road" in the Wadi Hilweh neighborhood of Silwan, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque, on Monday. The opening ceremony was attended by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Speaker of the Israeli Knesset, amidst heightened military measures and a widespread deployment of forces in the area.
Occupation forces imposed a tight siege on the Wadi Hilweh neighborhood of Silwan, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque, deploying forces and closing major intersections with iron barriers.
The new tunnel extends approximately 600 meters, starting from the excavations at the Dung Gate (Givati) Square and reaching the Al-Buraq Wall. The cost of digging amounted to approximately 50 million shekels which was funded by the Israeli government.
The occupation claims that the tunnel was the historical passageway from the Silwan Spring to the so-called "Second Temple."
This project is not the first of its kind. In 2019, the occupation opened the first section of the "Pilgrims' Road," extending from Ein Silwan to the middle of Wadi Hilweh Road.
However, historical studies confirm that this passageway was established by the Romans nearly two thousand years ago. It served as a market and public square for the residents of Jerusalem, far removed from any alleged connection to the so-called "Temple."
This tunnel is considered part of a broader settlement plan targeting the town of Silwan, through the seizure of real estate and land, and the imposition of accelerated Judaization projects, in parallel with policies of demolition and forced eviction that threaten the existence of residents in their neighborhoods.
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center explained that the "digging” work under the neighborhood has been ongoing for nearly twenty years, causing landslides and extensive cracks in the main street, in addition to damage to dozens of homes, a mosque, and a kindergarten.
The center noted that excavation operations have been carried out over the past years using heavy and light equipment, while the soil extracted from the ground has been continuously emptied by dedicated trucks, increasing the extent of the damage and risks threatening residents and their property.
