PM OF ISRAEL ON CENTER’S MUSEUM OF TOLERANCE JERUSALEM: “I STAND BEHIND IT 100%”

February 21, 2006

ACTING PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL ON WIESENTHAL CENTER’S MUSEUM OF TOLERANCE JERUSALEM:  “I STAND BEHIND IT 100%”

(LOS ANGELES) --  In a phone call Tuesday afternoon from Jerusalem to Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder and dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, and Larry A. Mizel, Chairman of the Center’s Board of Trustees,  Ehud Olmert, Acting Prime Minister of the State of Israel reaffirmed his full support for the Center for Human Dignity  Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem.  The project is now under construction in the heart of West Jerusalem, in what was once a public parking lot, adjacent to Independence Park.

“This is an essential project for Jerusalem, a landmark that will change the face of Jerusalem forever,” said Mr. Olmert.  “I stand behind it 100%, with all my power.”

Acting Prime Minister Olmert’s support comes in wake of a petition brought to the Israeli Supreme Court by Islamic organizations who charge that the site is a Moslem cemetery.  In its reply to the Supreme Court, Center attorneys asserted that the site, given to the Center by the Government of Israel and the Municipality of Jerusalem was a public parking lot for 30 years and never designated as a cemetery. Furthermore, in 1964, the Sha’aria (Moslem Religious Court) ruled the site “a Mundras [abandoned ancient burial ground]…that its sanctity has ceased to exist in it…and it is permitted to do whatever is permitted to do in any other land which was never a cemetery…”

For more information, contact the Wiesenthal Center’s public relations department, 310-553-9036, or visit www.wiesenthal.com.