PA daily denies Jewish connection to Herodium, an ancient fortress built by the Jewish king of Judaea
Headline: "Considered one of the most prominent Palestinian landmarks – occupation authorities and settlers hurry to Judaize Mount Furadis (i.e., Herodium)"
"The occupation authorities and the settler Gush Etzion [Regional] Council have made great strides in the Judaization of one of the most important Palestinian landmarks - which has become a central focus of tourism for the Israelis – as part of the unholy alliance between the settlers and the occupation government and its branches, such as the Nature and Parks Authority.
The occupation authorities have laid their hand on the Herodion fortress, said to have been built by Herod, the Edomite governor of the Roman province of Palaestina, and have turned it into a 'national park'. Occupation authorities have awarded the settler Etzion Council freedom of action at the site, whose local [Arabic] name is Mount Furadis. A grant from the Israeli government has made it possible for the settler council to 'develop' the site so as to absorb a greater number of tourists, whose number continues to grow. It has become one of the sites that draws the greatest number of visitors, especially since the Israeli archaeologist Yehuda (Ehud – ed.) Netzer announced that he had located Herod's grave at the site. Many people, including Israeli archaeologists, have cast doubt on this announcement. Netzer's dramatic death while he worked at the site in October 2010, has added a mythological dimension to the story of his love for Herod and his illegal excavations at the site."
Note: The Herodian fortress south of Jerusalem was built in the 1st century BCE by King Herod, the (Jewish) king of the province of Judaea.
"The occupation authorities and the settler Gush Etzion [Regional] Council have made great strides in the Judaization of one of the most important Palestinian landmarks - which has become a central focus of tourism for the Israelis – as part of the unholy alliance between the settlers and the occupation government and its branches, such as the Nature and Parks Authority.
The occupation authorities have laid their hand on the Herodion fortress, said to have been built by Herod, the Edomite governor of the Roman province of Palaestina, and have turned it into a 'national park'. Occupation authorities have awarded the settler Etzion Council freedom of action at the site, whose local [Arabic] name is Mount Furadis. A grant from the Israeli government has made it possible for the settler council to 'develop' the site so as to absorb a greater number of tourists, whose number continues to grow. It has become one of the sites that draws the greatest number of visitors, especially since the Israeli archaeologist Yehuda (Ehud – ed.) Netzer announced that he had located Herod's grave at the site. Many people, including Israeli archaeologists, have cast doubt on this announcement. Netzer's dramatic death while he worked at the site in October 2010, has added a mythological dimension to the story of his love for Herod and his illegal excavations at the site."
Note: The Herodian fortress south of Jerusalem was built in the 1st century BCE by King Herod, the (Jewish) king of the province of Judaea.