An essay in the Times of Israel asserts that it is “immoral” to visit the City of David tourist site, which is located in East Jerusalem (Occupied Palestinian Territory). Noah, author and professor Alon Tal, and legendary tour guide William Slott discuss the morality of archaeology.
This is a segment from the “Zionist Dreams & Nightmares” Edition.
Nonsense. My, and others’, opposition to Israel’s swing to the right and our support for the two-state solution notwithstanding, the City of David is our birthright as Jews. No mention is made of the expulsion of Jews from the Old City by the Jordanians/Palestinians in 1948, and the subsequent destruction of Jewish holy sites during those 19 years of occupation. Not only were Israelis not allowed access to the kotel, neither were any other persons identified as Jews by the Jordanian government. In any discussion of this, you are obligated to place these events in recent historical context, not just ancient historical context. There are no virgins in this story.
Excellent discussion.