Hamas Military Wing Damages Gaza Heritage Site
Excerpt:
Ejla said that the problems with Gazas tourism ministry are not all about lack of funds, but lack of awareness as well. He said that officials at the ministry lack professional experience.
The Gaza ministry's main focus has become on restaurants and hotels, while monuments are totally being ignored, and sometimes even harmed, Ejla explained.
Earlier last month, amid overwhelming criticism from public figures and nongovernmental organizations, the military wing of the Islamic movement of Hamas, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, bulldozed a part of the ancient Anthedon Harbor in northern Gaza along the Mediterranean Sea. The Brigades damaged the harbor in order to expand its military training zone, which was initially opened on the location in 2002, according to Ejla.
The Anthedon seaport, which dates back over 3,000 years to the Mycenaean era, is considered one of the most important sites in the Middle East and is the oldest harbor in Gaza. It was designated an international heritage site by UNESCO in 2012. The location was discovered in 1997 on the space of 180,000 square meters. It contains mosaic floors with historical pillars from the Roman, Byzantine and Islamic ages.
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/04/hamas-damages-heritage-site.html#ixzz2QXmTAeck