JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The struggle over Jewish historical sites in Judea and Samaria continues, according to a Kol Hayehudi report. Following recent visits by members of Knesset and government ministers to the ancient Jewish site of Solomon’s Pools near Bethlehem, the Palestinian Authority is reportedly planning to build a mosque at the site in an effort to reinforce its claim of sovereignty over the ancient Jewish historical site.

Jamil Rabaya, head of the village council of Artas, near Bethlehem, told the Arabic-language outlet Radio Alam: “The Council of Ministers is scheduled to visit Solomon’s Pools on Wednesday to lay the cornerstone for the construction of a mosque. Recently, Solomon’s Pools were officially recognized and registered in the Palestinian registry as an archaeological and historical site.”

An article by Lt. Col. (res.) Maurice Hirsch, published by the Jerusalem Center for Foreign Affairs and Security (JCFA), claimed that Solomon’s Pools, an ancient water system that supplied water to Jerusalem and bears the name of King Solomon, have been neglected for decades under the administration of the Palestinian Authority.

According to Hirsch, while the Palestinian Authority “could have transformed Bethlehem, including Solomon’s Pools, into a major tourist destination and a significant source of income, it chose to ignore the site and allow it to deteriorate,” despite its historical, archaeological, and tourism importance.

Israeli Minister Orit Strock recently toured the site together with members of the Religious Zionism party. During the visit, she said: “We are at Solomon’s Pools, an ancient water system built by the Hasmoneans, the Hasmoneans who declared, ‘We did not take a foreign land.’

“This is our land. They built this water system, and they didn’t ask whether this area was Area A, B, or C. They knew it was the Land of Israel, our land, and neither will we ask such questions. Although the architects of the Oslo Accords designated this area as Area A, for us ‘Eretz Yisrael’ means the Land of Israel. We are here, the residents of Efrat are here, and there is no reason we should not be here. Mahmoud Abbas long ago erased the distinctions between Areas A, B, and C. This is our land.”

Finance Minister and Religious Zionism party chairman Bezalel Smotrich also spoke during the visit, saying: “There is no water system of this size and historical significance anywhere else. It is absurd to me that such an important site is in the hands of the Palestinian Authority. We will change that soon and ensure that this place once again becomes accessible to all the people of Israel.”