Go see them now, before it’s too late: threatened by neglect, the elements, changing architectural trends or ruthless developers, these outstanding buildings are all fighting a hard battle for survival.
So CNN states on its photo slideshow of “25 magnificent structures on the verge of extinction.” What could these structures be? Priceless ancient buildings being destroyed by ISIS fanatics in Syria such as the assault on artifacts taking place in Palmyra?
No.
This is the first photo that greets viewers on CNN’s website:
According to CNN, the Old City of Jerusalem is “on the verge of extinction.” That the Old City is on UNESCO’s List of World Heritage in Danger is no excuse for its inclusion on CNN’s slideshow. As with many UN bodies, that status can be attributed to anti-Israel politics rather than reality.
CNN was under no obligation to buy into this outrageous nonsense, particularly as the Old City is probably the most protected heritage site in the Middle East. All religious sites are protected by law and freedom of religion. Even the most disputed of those, the Temple Mount, is under the control of the Muslim Waqf under an agreement to maintain the status quo.
In fact, the biggest threat to the heritage of the Old City is from the Palestinians themselves who have carried out unsupervised excavations on the Temple Mount, destroying many priceless antiquities in the process.
In any case, it is nobody’s “last chance to see” Jerusalem’s Old City, which is certainly not “on the verge of extinction” and CNN has no business claiming that it is.
[sc:graybox ]Contact CNN through its Feedback page and ask that the Old City is removed from this photo slideshow.
Featured image: Screen capture from World War Z, © 2013 Paramount Pictures, a work of fiction that features the destruction of Jerusalem’s Old City – no less fictional than CNN’s claims.
