What is the truth regarding the controversial tunnel beneath the Moslem Temple Mount in Jerusalem, Israel?
Most of the world is now familiar with the explosive events which took place in Israel during September of 1996. This occurred the same time as our excavation at Khirbet al-Makater, led by ABR Director Dr. Bryant Wood. We were in the country while all the commotion took place, and we found it very difficult to get accurate information on the exact issue which ignited the violence. Most news stories we heard suggested the issue was an underground tunnel newly discovered by archaeologists in Jerusalem or the opening of a tunnel that went directly beneath the Moslem Haram Al-Sharif (the Temple Mount). It was only after arriving home that we were able to get clarification. As far as I can tell, most media outlets never did get it correct. This is what really happened. The underground tunnel at the center of the controversy was known officially in the 1980’s as the “Western Wall Tunnel.” Unofficially it was called the “Rabbi’s Tunnel,” because it was the project of Orthodox rabbis in Jerusa
