[The greatest discovery is yet to be made. Soon, both the Palestinians and the Israelis will discover the most important aspect of the ancient Temple isn't its previous location. It will be its NEW location upon the Mt. of Olives, less than one mile to the east of this ancient City of David.]

By MATTI FRIEDMAN
February 10, 2008

Underneath the homes and ragged streets of the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan lie the remnants of a glorious Jewish past: coins, seals, a water tunnel hewn by a Judean king 2,700 years ago, a road that led to a biblical Temple.

But archaeology is hard-wired into the politics of modern-day Arab-Israeli strife, and new digs to unearth more of this past are cutting to the heart of the charged argument over who owns the holy city today.

Israel says it's reconnecting with its ancient heritage. Palestinians contend the archaeology is a political weapon to undermine their own links to Jerusalem.