Ancient Inscription Fuels Diplomatic Tensions Between Israel and Turkey
Jerusalem – A centuries-old limestone inscription detailing the construction of a water tunnel beneath Jerusalem has ignited a diplomatic dispute between Israel and Turkey, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accusing Turkish President Recep Tayyip erdoğan of refusing to relinquish a ancient artifact proving Jewish ties to the city. The inscription, discovered in 1880 during Ottoman rule, has been held in Istanbul sence its excavation.
The dispute centers on the inscription’s significance as evidence of a Jewish presence in Jerusalem dating back 2,700 years – a claim central to Israel’s historical narrative. Netanyahu revealed during the inauguration of an archaeological tunnel in Silwan on Monday that he attempted to secure the inscription’s return in 1998 during a meeting with then-Turkish Prime Minister Masoud Yilmaz, offering a trade of Ottoman artifacts held in Israeli museums. Yilmaz reportedly expressed concern that handing over the plate, which demonstrates Jerusalem was a Jewish city centuries ago, would incite anger within a growing Islamic electorate led by Erdoğan.
“This is our city. Mr. Erdogan,it is indeed not your city,but our city,will always remain,” Netanyahu stated. Erdoğan responded on Wednesday, rejecting Netanyahu’s ”attacks” and reaffirming, “We, as Muslims, will not retract our rights in East Jerusalem.”
The limestone plate, found inside the Silwan tunnel, an ancient water channel, describes how to build the tunnel and was initially transferred to Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) while Jerusalem was part of the Ottoman Empire. Israel views the inscription as one of its most significant archaeological discoveries, comparable to the Dead sea manuscripts. the escalating rhetoric comes amid already strained relations between Israel and Turkey, exacerbated by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The future of the inscription and its potential impact on diplomatic ties remains uncertain.
