LA Times Errs on Western Wall, Still Silent on Stolen Aid
Aug. 15 Update: CAMERA Prompts Los Angeles Times Correction on Western Wall
The Temple Mount’s southern wall, one of several extant remains of the Temple complex
Even as it continues to churn out coverage on Israel and the Palestinians, including an article today on opposition to women leading prayer at the Western Wall, The Los Angeles Times still ignores Hamas’ diversion of tens of millions of dollars donated from multiple international aid organizations, a huge story with profound implications for humanitarian aid in Gaza and other areas of conflict.
Meanwhile, today’s story on the Western Wall, by Joshua Mitnick, errs: “The wall, with its giant stone blocks, is the last remnant of the Jewish Temple complex built two millenniums ago. . . ”
In fact, It is not the last remnant of the Temple complex. There are numerous extant remnants. The southern, eastern and northern retaining walls are also still extant. Surviving features abutting the southern walls include a broad stairway leading up to the Temple Mount’s entrance and two gates, known as the Huldah Gates, which provided access to the Temple Mount (Hershel Shanks, Jerusalem: An Archaeological Biography, p. 143). Some of the interior part of the Herodian Double Gate (which is one of the Huldah Gates) is also still intact. There are also surviving underground remnants of the Temple complex, including the area known as Solomon’s Stables. In addition, an area called “Robinson’s Arch,” in the south-western corner of the Temple complex, still remains. In his book, Shanks provides details concerning numerous other remnants.
On Sept. 24, 2004, The Los Angeles Times corrected the very same error:
Western Wall–An article in Monday’s Section A about a visit to Jerusalem by pop star Madonna described the Western Wall in the Old City as the sole remnant of Jews’ Second Temple. It is the principal remnant of the temple complex accessible to worshipers, but other archeological elements survive.
Other media outlets which have previously corrected the same error include the Associated Press and Haaretz.
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