Think of the controversy in the U.S. over buildings on slave cemeteries. We stopped such construction in lower Manhattan. Think about construction at Auschwitz, international controversy. In Jerusalem, the celebrated American architect Frank Gehry is moving ahead with a museum "of tolerance" that a California institution, the Simon Wiesenthal center, is building on an Arab cemetery. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger helped break ground on the thing.
a Museum of Tolerance and Center for Human Dignity atop an ancient Muslim cemetery…late last month, when the Supreme Court gave a green
light to the project, and Rabbi [Martin] Hier responded that "Moderation and
tolerance have prevailed," he was dead wrong.
light to the project, and Rabbi [Martin] Hier responded that "Moderation and
tolerance have prevailed," he was dead wrong.
You'd think this would be a big controversy in the States, I learn about it in Haaretz. Bradley Burston (who Richard Witty points out to me is pro-Zionist, anti-expansionist) says, Move the museum. Thanks to Richard for the tip.
The arab residents in Jerusalem took to streets in peaceful demonstrations protesting the disturbance of the cemetery.
I love the irony of the fact that this will be Museum of TOLERANCE.
You would THINK it would be a big controversy in Jerusalem for other reasons as well. (since the moral issue seems to be ignored, what about the cold hard cash issue of the feasibility of this project, especially at this time.)
1. Gehry projects are infamous for their cost over runs. Witness the Walt Disney Concert Hall, 43 million over budget. That was AFTER increases had supposedly been built in. The construction company that built the concert hall (M.A. Mortenson) ended up settling for 17 million to avoid the expected long costly legal fight.
2. This project is not fully funded. Back in 2000 they estimated a cost of 150 mil, now it's 250 mil+. It is relying on donations and currently they have 150 mil pledged, unknown amount of actual available funds.
3. Has anyone checked out the economy lately? Frank Gehry's WD Concert HALL is the showcase of a larger project for the city of LA, the Grand Avenue Project. The museum of tolerance Jerusalem is also part of a larger project. LA, (where a great deal of the funding for the Jerusalem project is coming out of) had to turn to Dubai for the funds needed to get it underway. Has anyone anywhere questioned the funding and feasibility of this project? GB just dumped another Gehry project recently. Hey folks, times are tough. This could very well end up a big boondoggle that sits languishing AFTER it has destroyed a Muslim cemetery.